


Trust Issues

by Vambrace



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-23 17:18:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 18
Words: 40,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/929091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vambrace/pseuds/Vambrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared must win the trust of a very frightened and defiant Jensen who is presented to Jared as a birthday present on his fourteenth birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Title: Trust Issues  
Author: Vambrace  
Pairing: Jensen/Jared  
Rating NC-17  
Word Count: 40,557  
Summary: Jared receives a very frightened and defiant Jensen as a fourteenth birthday gift. Once Jensen learns that Jared doesn't plan to rape him, he relaxes and a real relationship develops. On the day before Jared's eighteenth birthday, Jensen is sold off-planet against Jared's wishes. Can Jared find Jensen? Warnings: Underage sex, rape, graphic sex, h/c, slavery themes, angst, torture 

Chapter One

Jared: Age 5

 

At first Jared had fun. When his mother offered to let him go with her to the mall on a Christmas shopping expedition, Jared’s excitement peaked to a fever pitch. His mother never took him anywhere. He imagined lines of stores filled with toys, candy, and pets. When they arrived, Jared gaped in wonder at the immensity of the structure. Once inside he marveled at the pale pink marble floor, the colorfully lit fountains and the long, high ceilinged hallways. An enormous Christmas tree, decorated with white and pink ornaments stood proudly in the precise center of the main floor. As Jared examined the glorious tree, he saw children lined up to… talk to Santa Claus!

Jared tugged once firmly at his mother’s arm and ran toward the line of eager children and parents. He came to an abrupt and painful halt when his mother grabbed the back of his shirt.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Mama! Santa Claus is here! Right over there.” Jared desperately flapped his right arm to direct his mother’s attention to the festive area surrounded by giant candy canes and roped off with red tinsel garland.

His mother huffed. “You’re not a baby anymore, Jared. I don’t have time for this foolishness.”

“But Mama….” Jared trailed off as he saw The Look sweep across his mother’s face. He knew better then to even attract her attention when she got The Look. Unusual stubbornness set in. He couldn’t let it go. Santa Claus!

“Did you know Santa came here? Does he come here every year? Why can’t I go talk to him?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care. You can’t go talk to him because the line is too long. I have a thousand things to find and I don’t have time to stand in a line because you insist on acting like a dumb baby. I don’t want to hear another word about it. Do you understand?”

Jared slumped. He cast one more yearning look at what he could see of Santa and nodded his head. “Yes, ma’am.” He swallowed hard, trying to hold back tears of bitter disappointment. He didn’t have total success.

His mother pivoted and marched away from him through the seething throng of last minute shoppers. Jared ran behind her, suddenly afraid of getting lost. He had never seen so many people in one place before. He fought to push through the crowd, getting buffeted by thighs and shopping bags as he struggled. He jumped in the air periodically to try to keep his mother in sight. He saw her go into Nordstrum’s as the current of oblivious adults swept him along. 

By the time he managed to turn back and reach the store entrance, he couldn’t see her anywhere. 

She has to come back out sometime. Would she really leave me here? Dad would get mad at her. Maybe.

Jared’s mouth dried and he thought momentarily about trying to find his way back to Santa, but the solid wall of moving flesh kept him from seeing further than two or three feet in any direction. He had focused so intently on keeping his mother in sight that he couldn’t remember any turns he might have made since they left Santa’s area. 

I’ll just have to find someplace to wait. He also desperately needed to pee. He peered around to catch gaps in the racing herd and spotted a separate structure set out in the center of the wide corridor in a line of kiosks. He saw Starbuck’s, the Sunglass Hut, a Piercing Pagoda and a clean white edifice, three times as large as the other kiosks, marked “Satisfaction Center.” Jared didn’t see the iconic sign that always indicated restrooms, but what else could a “Satisfaction Center” be? At worst, he would just be wrong. If he was, then maybe someone in one of the kiosks could point him to a rest room.

Sidling sideways through the current, Jared made his way laboriously to the central row of vendors. He opened the door to the white building and caught his breath on a whiff of an unfamiliar odor, reminiscent of bleach. The interior of the small building looked like a department store fitting room. Jared saw four doors, with signs reading “Occupied” affixed to each one. A mechanism for charging credit cards hung on the wall between the compartments. A list of prices, set in a black frame, told Jared that a cubicle could be rented for “$20.00/hr. with a $10.00 clean-up charge.” Jared had never seen such a thing in a public restroom before. 

Urgency becoming perilously close to emergency, Jared tried the nearest door. It slid open easily, and Jared heaved a sigh of relief. He stopped short of entering when he saw the cubicle still in use. He couldn’t make sense out of what he saw, except he didn’t see anything even vaguely resembling toilet facilities. What he did see churned his stomach. 

A naked teen-aged boy leaned over a waist-high padded railing, facing the door. An older man, dressed in a suit like his father wore every day, undulated his hips rhythmically behind the youth; his head thrown back and sweat beading on his forehead. The older man made small grunting sounds as he thrust his hips against the naked boy’s buttocks. The boy lifted his head and looked in Jared’s direction. Jared recoiled. He didn’t have a word for the bleak expression in the boy’s eyes. Jared backed out of the room quietly and fled toward Nordstrum’s, his bathroom needs temporarily forgotten.

Earlier, he had noticed large brass rings affixed at regular intervals along the walls between store entrances above a line of thick padding on the floor. Most of the time, his mother had kept to the center of the walkways so Jared couldn’t clearly see much of the mall through the veil of crowd. As he reached the front display window of the department store, he looked around and saw a few people kneeling on thick red cushions lining Nordstrum’s exterior wall. With shocked recognition he saw a leash tethering each person to one of the rings by a leash hooked to a collar. These people must be slaves. Jared had only glimpsed slaves in television programs and movies. And not often. His parents deemed him too young to watch anything with any kind of slavery content. 

Jared hesitantly walked over and sat down on a cushion near a kneeling young man. He groaned with relief and leaned back against the wall, avoiding the pile of shopping bags surrounding the restrained youth. The young man kept his gaze on the floor and made no sign that he had even seen Jared. Jared studied him carefully. He noted that this man’s black leather collar fit neatly around his neck and it enhanced the man’s appearance, somehow. The man’s leash clipped into a ring on his collar near a gold plate inset in the collar itself. Jared squinted as he tried to make out the script. Puzzled, he read the word “Hollis” on one line; engraved directly below the words “Property of Marie Sadler.” 

While he tried to make out the words on the collar he had scooted very near the youth. He saw the young man eyeing him from under his bangs and embarrassment heated his face.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s rude to stare.”

He saw a hint of a smile twitch the corners of his neighbor’s lips. Curiosity mounted in him until it exerted an almost physical pressure. He squirmed on the pillow and chewed his lip, trying to keep questions from bursting from his mouth. Finally, he had to ask.

“Who are you?”

The young man looked sidelong at Jared. “I’m Hollis. Who are you? Surely you’re not here at the mall by yourself, little citizen.”

“No,” Jared said, thrilling a little bit that he had been taken seriously enough to elicit a reply. “I saw my mom go in this store, but I’m pretty sure I couldn’t find her in there. I figure she has to come out sometime.”

Hollis rose up straighter as if to stand. “Won’t she notice you’re gone and come look for you? Don’t you think she’s worried?”

Jared shook his head. “She doesn’t much like me, I don’t think. Today is the first day she’s spent any time alone with me for a long, long time. Then I asked to go talk to Santa Claus and she got mad.”

Hollis frowned. “But she’s your mother. She’ll be looking for you.”

Jared knew better, but he decided to change the subject. “Why are you tied up out here?” He thought he knew, but he had to ask.

Hollis tilted his head. “I’m a slave. The mall keeps these hitching rings and kneeling pads all over the place so that our owners can feel secure about leaving us to watch their merchandise.”

“Slave?” Jared thought hard. “My dad says it’s wrong to keep slaves. We don’t have any. Do you like it? Being a slave?”

Hollis laughed, sounding surprised. “You’re the first person who ever asked if I like being a slave. It’s not my place to like it or dislike it. That’s what I am. Do you like being a little boy?”

Jared shook his head. “No. But I won’t always be a little boy. Won’t you always be a slave?”

“How old are you? You must be really smart.”

Jared nodded. “My teacher says I’m gifted. I read different books than everybody else.”

“You know, you really shouldn’t be sitting here. And I shouldn’t be talking to you. I’m not supposed to talk to citizens without my master’s permission.”

“Will you get in trouble for talking to me?”

Hollis faced him and smiled. Jared fleetingly recognized his beauty.

“It can be our secret, can’t it?”

Jared looked around at the other slaves kneeling nearby. “They all heard.”

Hollis laughed again. “Believe me; they won’t tell.”

Jared leaned back against the wall for a minute. “I guess I’d better move. I don’t want to get you in any trouble.”

“I’m pretty sure your mom would be appalled to find you talking to me, anyway. Nice to meet you.”

“Thank you.” Jared got up and looked around for a safe place to stand. He walked to the main door and looked inside. He saw an orange bench inside next to a display of women’s shoes. Better yet, he saw a sign indicating restrooms nearby. Jared hurriedly relieved himself and then came back and examined the bench more closely. None of the people sitting on it wore collars. He pulled open the heavy glass door and plopped down on the orange plastic with a sigh. He leaned his head back against the wall and wished that he had never come on this shopping trip.


	2. Two

Jared: age 10

His father took him shopping for school clothes before he entered fifth grade. He had skipped a grade based on his academic test scores and both of his parents couldn’t stop bragging about that everywhere they went. Jared worried. While not small for his age, he would still be smaller than the other students in his new class. He would leave behind his best friends, Chad and Sophia, and he didn’t know if they could still spend time together with the separation imposed by the school between the fifth and fourth grade students. They would have different lunch periods and different PE classes. Although proud of his accomplishments, Jared didn’t like the attention they engendered. He would prefer that everyone just acknowledged what he could do and not make such a big deal out of it.

For a special treat his father took him to Abercrombie Hollister, the monster that emerged when both Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister had entered financial crises. The two corporations joined forces and changed their business models to appeal to upscale people of all ages, rather than just high school and college aged groups. The styles they offered changed from ragged surfer chic to a polished preppie look. The clothing remained over-priced. Jared gawked at the bustling store and then blushed when he realized that all the mannequins in the store were living breathing people. Including the underwear models.

He didn’t know where to look. His dad seemed oblivious, like his everyday existence abounded in nearly naked men and women in achingly perfect physical condition. Jared looked away as the models preened and posed trying to draw the customers’ eyes. Jared got through the junior wear without much of a problem by keeping his gaze firmly on the floor. As they passed the women’s wear section a gorgeous blonde wearing nothing but a magenta thong fondled her breasts and displayed her body wantonly trying to get his father’s attention. He saw a white set of cubicles in the far rear corner of the store that stirred something in his memory. He couldn’t pin it down…it wasn’t a good memory, he could tell that much.

Entering the comforting tweed-and-wool smelling boys’ and men’s department, Jared relaxed. Much too soon as it turned out. Because, of course, the men’s department carried underwear, too. Jared found it difficult to impossible to avert his gaze when exceptionally fit twin teen-aged boys in translucent white briefs walked by. Both of the models filled out the pouch in the front fully and completely. Jared could actually discern the shapes of their cocks and the heft of their balls. His heart raced and heat flushed through his body. He wanted to see. He tried to picture what the pair would look like if they stopped and stripped naked. 

Jared’s tongue stuck to his palate as the twins stepped up on an exhibition dais and began to pose. One of them turned his back to Jared and bent over, touching his toes. This position stretched the thin fabric of his briefs, causing it to morph from translucent to nearly transparent. Jared could see the rosy skin tone of the model’s ass and the dark shadow of the cleft between his cheeks. He stood riveted, staring helplessly as unfamiliar and uncomfortable emotions and sensations flooded him. He had merely felt embarrassment for the female models. He didn’t know what to call this; he just knew he would be content to stand and watch these models for the rest of his life. 

He grew uncomfortably conscious of his lips. He wondered what the thin cotton comprising the briefs would feel like against his mouth. His attention focused on the model facing him. Jared’s mouth watered as he imagined the heat of the soft, plump, cock, barely visible through the fabric, warming against his lips and chin. He traced the arrow head outline of the glans with his eyes, realizing with a start that this shape might have inspired the myth of Cupid’s arrow. He stared and fell deeper into his fantasy of moving his lips and tongue over the heat of the thin white cotton as it caught on his chapped lips. His cock swelled and twitched.

His father, finally realizing that Jared no longer walked by his side, returned and placed a hand on Jared’s shoulder. Startled and mortified, Jared twisted away from the erotic display, horrified that his father had caught him…doing what? Didn’t the models want to be looked at? Wasn’t that the whole idea? He shifted uncomfortably as his constrained cock pushed at the fabric of his jeans. This kind of hardening had never happened to him in public before. He wanted to look down to check his appearance, but he didn’t want to call attention to his, no doubt, obvious erection.

Jared’s father chuckled. “We can’t get you fitted, if you won’t come with me and pick out some things.”

Jared nodded, his face burning with mortification, and once again fixed his gaze firmly on the lush carpeting. He thought that if he never had to look his father in the eye again it would be too soon. They entered the boys’ section and started in the back with the jeans. Jared tried to make sense out of the myriad of styles, colors and conditions of the jeans, but all he could see, as if burned into his retinas, was the image of the twins. Their rosy cocks and asses, so casually revealed through the thin fabric. Finally, his father pulled him to one side.

“Son…are you all right?”

Jared sighed. “I don’t know.”

“What is it? Are you sick?”

Jared had always been able to talk to his dad about anything, but this…he didn’t have words for. His stomach flipped and his blood ran hot. He wanted…something. Desperately. But he didn’t know what.

“I, uh…the models….”

Jared’s father pulled him over to a long empty leather sofa near the fitting rooms and pushed him down. He sat down next to Jared and sat with his head down and his hands clasped as if gathering his thoughts.

“Which models?”

“The…boys.”

“The boys you were staring at when I came back to get you? What about them?”

Despite the gentleness in his father’s voice, Jared became even more agitated when faced with trying to articulate what had happened.

“I don’t know. They made me feel…weird.”

“Weird good, or weird bad?”

Jared turned to look at his father’s face. Encouraged by the benign acceptance he saw there he struggled to formulate his thoughts.

“I don’t know. I…my heart got all wonky and I had trouble breathing. I couldn’t look away, but I don’t know why. Then, my stomach got all twisted up.” Jared didn’t want to tell his father that his balls had gotten tight and his cock became full and heavy.

His father looked away and put one hand over his mouth. Jared saw the corners of his eyes crinkle and knew his dad was trying not to laugh. So, maybe this wasn’t all that bad.

“Son…how much do you know about sex?”


	3. Three

Jared; age 12

Jared’s brother Jeff’s best friend, Wayne Sadler visited early one Friday evening, bringing his new slave with him. Jeff and Jared lay sprawled on Jeff’s bed watching a movie. The knock at the door came as a surprise to both of them.

“Jeff? You there?” Wayne opened the door and stuck his head in. “Wait till you see what I’ve got!”  
Jeff and Jared both sat up. Jared didn’t much care for Wayne, but the boy always had interesting stories, and would sometimes share expensive video games  
.  
Wayne hauled on a leash and a young boy, about Jared’s age, staggered into the room and sank to his knees. Jared recoiled. He looked at Jeff and looked away quickly. Instead of the repulsion Jared expected to see on Jeff’s face, his older brother’s eyes had dilated and he licked his lips as he looked at Wayne’s new acquisition.

“Thought I’d share with my best bud,” Wayne said. He smirked as he pulled the boy back to his feet. “Okay, Twelve; strip and present.”

Jeff pushed Jared off the bed. “I think you should go play in your room, runt.”

“But Jeff….” 

Jared felt inexplicably dirty and afraid. He watched in shock as the pale blonde boy stripped off his clothing and then knelt on the bed leaning on his forearms with his ass in the air and his legs spread wide. Jared saw no expression in the slave’s frighteningly empty eyes. Jared turned away, although he had a sudden strong desire to fondle the firm, naked ass within arm’s reach.

“Have a go, Jeff, he’s plenty prepped.”

Jeff glared at Jared. “Get out. Now.”

“Jeff this isn’t right. I’m telling Dad.”

Jeff grabbed Jared’s arm, hard. 

“Ouch!” Jared jerked away, more offended and disappointed than hurt. Jeff had never acted this way before.

“You say anything about this to anyone and I’ll make sure you have to do all the yard work and the dishes for the next six months.”

“Jeff!” Jared hissed, “You know this is wrong.” He threw a glance at Wayne, remembering too late that they had to be extra careful around slave-owners so as not to be denounced as abolitionists.

“That’s why you’re not going to tell,” Jeff whispered.

Giving in, Jared turned toward the door. As he did, he saw that Wayne had dropped his jeans and underwear and stood stroking his own cock to full hardness, a pearly substance gleaming at the tip. The breath slammed out of his chest. He told himself that he had never seen anything so disgusting. He walked quickly to the door and turned around for one last glance. Jeff knelt behind Twelve, sliding his own glistening cock between the slave boy’s cheeks and smirking at Wayne. A jumble of emotions nearly paralyzed Jared. Jeff, paused, looked up, and glared at him again.

“Leave, now! Or I will make you sorry you were ever born. And close the door.”

***

Jared ducked his head and closed the door harder than necessary. He scurried to his room. He told himself that he didn’t really understand what he just saw. But bits and pieces of sniggering jokes and gossip floated together to create a sudden graphic picture in his mind. He remembered a teenage boy bent over a rail while an adult did something behind him. Jared tried to imagine an older, fully dressed adult man touching him, while Jared was naked and helpless. An unexpected wave of heat washed over him accompanied by nausea.

His dad had said that a significant number of men preferred sex with another man. That, if that’s how nature made you, there was nothing at all to be ashamed of. He didn’t describe the act in graphic detail, but Jared got the picture, now. He thought about his friend Chad, maybe trying this with him and groaned, biting his lip as images filled his mind.

A lazy ache bloomed in his groin and he fought with mortification as his cock filled and hardened. He clutched at it and pushed it down through his shorts. A sudden hot rush of pleasure weakened his knees and he slumped down on his bed. He heard a whimpering moan coming from Jeff’s room and a rhythmic squishy-slapping sound that steadily increased in tempo and until it suddenly stopped, as someone gasped loudly. He heard Jeff and Wayne chuckling, an oily, dirty sound.

He sat motionless in a lather of uncertainty, palming his erection, stunned by tumbling bits of knowledge illuminating the “sex talk” he had endured with his father a couple of years ago. His father had concentrated on feelings and thoughts; Jared hadn’t known how to bring up the matter of actual mechanics to him. But he had seen Jeff and Wayne about to use that boy. Jared knew just enough to intuit that they used Twelve the same way they would have used a girl somehow. That meant…well, he couldn’t be sure what that meant, except it looked like Jeff meant to push his cock up the slave’s asshole. He wriggled with shame as uncontrollable visions of his friend Devon using his slave, Fernando that way; or Mary Sweets letting her slave Bess do…things to her. What do girls do together? The whole situation seemed much filthier when he imagined people his own age committing sexual acts. He felt young and stupid. What a baby he must seem to them.

Distracted by an image of Jeff shoving in and out of Twelve’s hole, Jared pulled off his shorts and underwear, regarding his own erection. He poked at the slit on top of his cock experimentally with his index finger and another insanely strong sensation flooded him. He recalled a rude gesture one of the older boys had made at a teacher, rapidly moving his loosely closed fist near his crotch, and whispered snatches of conversation about “jerking off.” Flushing with humiliating heat, Jared gripped his cock and began moving his hand up and down slowly, imagining he fucked into a tight hot channel. His hips thrust up involuntarily forcing his cock through his fist. The tighter he gripped and the faster he moved, the more intense the pleasure. Finally, a hot tingling began at the base of his spine and he watched in amazement as his balls tightened and hugged his groin. A sudden, electric increase in throbbing pleasure accompanied squirting jets of white thick fluid that soaked his hand and his belly. 

Jared collapsed, panting and boneless. He held his spunk covered hand away from his body and searched for something to wipe it off. He spotted a pair of balled up socks on the floor within reaching distance and stretched to retrieve them, his arm trembling. Curiosity led him to sniff the gooey substance. A tantalizingly familiar odor filled his nostrils. Suddenly he could put a name to it. Bleach. Smells just like bleach. Mortification swept through him again when he recalled his first couple of encounters with public Satisfaction Centers. How could people just go in there for sex when anyone could look and see them f\go inside and know exactly why? There was only one reason to go into those little kiosks. He even remembered a couple of occasions when the two centers near his school had actual lines of couples waiting to get a cubicle. Jared didn’t think he could ever act so publically. But then, judging by others his age, he must be a late bloomer. 

Jared began to masturbate regularly and often from that time forward, but he refused to think about Jeff and Wayne and Twelve. What kind of name was Twelve, anyway? Jeff went back to behaving like his annoying big brother again and never mentioned the incident. Wayne stopped coming to visit, but Jeff went to visit Wayne frequently and always came home mussed, tired, and grumpy. Jared tried to avoid letting his mind wander down the path of imagining what the two boys might be doing at Wayne’s with limited success.


	4. Four

Jared and Jensen: age 14

Jared tore up the driveway to his house, sandals slapping on the pavement, already twenty minutes late for dinner. He knew his mother would cut him no slack, birthday or not. He slipped through the front door as quietly as possible only to be met by both parents in the foyer. His dad beamed at him. He looked at his mom and, as usual, saw nothing but disapproval. She stood stiffly, her mouth pursed. Her eyes shot daggers at him.

“Son, good to see you home. We were waiting dinner for you.” His father said. His mother opened her mouth and his father put his arm around her and squeezed. Apparently tightly from the distressed look on her face. “Go on upstairs, why don’t you, and take a shower. There just might be a present up there for you, too.”

Jared’s heart pounded. Maybe a new X-Box? He had casually pointed it out several times to both parents over the last few weeks to ensure they knew he wanted it. Definitely could be a game system. He hadn’t asked for anything else. Without a word, he pounded up the stairs, breathless with excitement. He rounded the corner and threw open the door to his room. And froze.

A naked boy knelt on his floor, his legs widespread, displaying his soft cock and balls. He held his arms tightly behind his back. From the doorway, Jared could see the boy trembling. Dithering, Jared stood, pinned by indecision. His body flamed with embarrassment. Jared eased inside his room and shut the door gently. He looked everywhere but at the boy. He had no doubt about the boy’s purpose.

They bought me a slave? What would I do with a slave? Jared pushed images of Jeff and Twelve firmly away and swallowed his disappointment in his parents. I guess all Dad’s talk about slavery being wrong really was just talk. He walked slowly to the bed with his eyes averted and stripped off the comforter. Trying not to look, he draped it around his new possession. 

“Here…you seem cold.”

The boy gasped and lowered his head to the floor. Jared floundered, turning his back to give himself time to think. 

Why did they get me a male slave? Dad knows that I like guys, but Mom…did Dad do this just to piss off Mom? 

Jared recalled the bitter arguments his parents had after his dad’s promotion into upper management two years ago. His mother insisted they needed household slaves. His father responded by buying this enormous house. Then she harped and moaned about the fact that all the other families in their social bracket had slaves, and she couldn’t take care of this enormous house alone. She tried to convince him that his career would suffer if he went without appropriate household staff because all his superiors would see his behavior as a tacit criticism. His father had steadfastly resisted her blandishments until last month when he gave in and bought a cook and a maid. Jared understood about the cook and the maid. They weren’t mistreated or overworked and Jared had to consider them lucky to come into his father’s hands. But, this?

Even from his brief glance Jared appreciated the boy’s exceptional appearance. That second’s glimpse burned in his mind like the afterimage of a lightning flash. A body covered with perfect creamy skin; lean and muscled like a swimmer’s, and generously endowed. Jared turned and took a step closer, noting that the slave’s trembling increased. He could now hear his boy’s rapid shallow breathing. So…not just cold, then.

Jared dropped to the floor and sat tailor fashion in front of the boy, nearly sitting on a leather bound book lying on the floor. Jared frowned and picked up the book, puzzled by the title: “Provenance of Slave # 59263.” He shrugged and put it down, turning his attention to the distressed youth in front of him.

“Hey,” Jared said, keeping his voice soft. “I’m Jared. What’s your name?”

The breathing became more rapid, but the slave managed to return an answer in a voice almost too low to hear.

“Whatever you desire, Master.”

Jared leaned forward and put one finger under the slave’s chin, encouraging him to sit up and lift his head. Jared caught his breath. The boy’s fear could not eclipse his beauty. Jared surveyed his high cheekbones, full lips, expressive black eyes framed by shoulder length hair of black silk. Jared’s mouth dried. This boy’s mere presence made him nervous and hot. His cock filled and pulsed. He felt a clutch of warmth deep in his groin and tried not to squirm. He became hyperaware of his fingertips resting against the boy’s too warm skin. Jared pulled his hand back and sat on the floor, totally flummoxed. What am I supposed to do?

A tear trickled down the boy’s face.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Jared asked, sadness flooding him at the thought that he hadn’t had the boy for ten minutes and he had somehow already hurt him. “You don’t have to be afraid to talk to me.”

The boy’s voice hitched. “Can we just get it over with?” His whispered words were rough and full of despair.

Jared inched closer. “Get what over with?” But Jared thought he knew exactly what his boy meant, and visions of Devon Kennedy’s party last year when everyone brought their slaves and shared slammed into the forefront of his mind. As soon as he had seen what Devon had in mind, Jared slipped out the door and went home.

The huddled boy sighed, jolting Jared back into the present. He blushed and his head began to spin as he imagined treating this boy the way his brother and his friend had treated Twelve. His face and chest burned. Surely, his parents didn’t want him having sex with a boy? Surely Dad doesn’t want me to treat another human being the way Devon and Wayne treated their slaves. His mind spiraled around the issue, even as his eager cock grew rampant and twitched.

Before entering the rarefied social strata they now occupied, his family had not usually socialized with slaveholders. His father had always held strong opinions about the evil the whole structure engendered. So, aside from observing Wayne on that one occasion, Jared didn’t have much first-hand information. Some of the older boys brought their slaves to school and Jared saw them slipping quietly through the hallways or kneeling outside classroom doors. His best friend Chad’s parents did have friends who owned slaves and Chad’s parents had informed him that they planned to get one for him when he turned sixteen. Chad also had strong opinions about the immorality of slave-holding. Jared and Chad had discussed and wondered at length about what the experience of owning another human being might do to them. 

The pair didn’t have access to websites with the .adu suffix segregating sexual material on the internet, but over the years they discovered a couple of social websites for owners. They read chat threads and it seemed that most of the individuals cared about their slaves. But the overarching tone and major complaint revolved around slaves performing commands sullenly instead of gladly trying to serve their masters. Jared and Chad had laughed about that. What did these people expect? Slaves happy about their status? Then they slowly began to understand what sort of favors these owners wanted. 

Officially, Jared knew, slaves assigned to minor children took care of their master’s personal possessions and served as companions. He sorted through all the stories he had heard earlier in his life and only paid half attention to. He tried to put himself in the slave’s place. Again reality hit Jared like a ton of hammers. His slave fully expected Jared to use him. Sexually. And no matter how much training the slave had, or what Jared might want him to do, the boy had absolutely no choice. Jared could skin him alive and order him to sing while he died and his slave would have to do his utmost to comply. His birthday present shifted uncomfortably and Jared frowned.

“Look, you can’t be comfortable like that. Stand up, please…relax. You can sit down on the bed or anywhere else you feel safe. And I want to call you by your actual name, if you don’t mind telling me.”

The boy struggled to his feet, clutching the comforter around him and Jared wondered how long he’d been kneeling there waiting to discover his fate. He then realized that his slave might feel more comfortable wearing some clothing.

“Where are your things? Do you have something you can put on?”

The boy inclined his head dully at a garbage bag in the corner. Jared walked over and picked it up, distressed at its lack of weight. “This?”

At the slave’s nod, Jared opened the bag and saw two sets of soft gray drawstring pants with matching t-shirts. He found socks, but no underwear. “So, you wear… pajamas all the time?” 

“I am to be easily accessible for your pleasure at all times,” the slave said, tonelessly, as if he read the words from a card.

Jared’s embarrassment rose to dizzying heights. He dropped the bag and handed a set of clothing to the boy. He then recalled he had some brand new underwear still in the package. He squinted at his slave. They seemed about the same size. He got the package and handed it to the slave, careful not to touch him. 

“Take these.” Jared felt oddly inappropriate. He couldn’t help treating the boy like a feral cat or dog.

“I am not allowed to wear underwear. And Jensen.” 

“Pardon me?” Jared said quietly.

“My mother named me Jensen.” The boy seized the drawstring pants and turned his back as he pulled them on, his arms and legs shaking so much that Jared wanted to help him.

“Look, I think I need to talk to my parents about you for a few minutes. The bathroom is through that door in the corner. Please feel free to take a shower or whatever you want or need to do. Get comfortable. No one’s going to hurt you here. And if I’m your master, I can let you wear underwear if I want to, right?”

Jensen looked at the floor. Jared thought he heard a quickly muffled snort. He decided to ignore it since Jensen didn’t seem to want him to hear it.

 

Jared backed out the door and slammed into Jeff. He twisted and looked up at his brother, noticing that he didn’t have to look up as far anymore. Jeff grinned at him.

“I saw your birthday present. He’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen! When are you going to let me have a taste?”

Jared’s heart thudded and possessiveness rose up in an unwelcome swell. He noticed he had tightened his hands into fists and consciously relaxed.

“I know you understand that I don’t agree with using slaves the way you and Wayne use Twelve.”

Jeff scowled. “I guess you’re just not mature enough yet to understand. And anyway, if you’re not going to use him, there’s no sense letting him go to waste.”

Jared huffed and turned toward the stairs. “Leave him alone Jeff. He’s mine. Knowing Dad, he’ll get you a slave of your own if you ask.”

Jeff brightened. “You think?”

Jared knew he had to tell his dad about Jeff. He couldn’t watch over Jensen twenty-four hours a day. He shuddered as he thought about Jensen falling into Jeff and Wayne’s hands. “Yeah, Jeff. I’ll make sure of it. So, I won’t go near your slave if you promise not to touch Jensen.”

“Jensen? That’s a weird name. Why don’t you call him something more normal?”

Jared rested a hand on the newel post, incredulity seeping through his veins. “You mean like “Twelve?” Jensen’s his actual name.”

Jared started slowly down the stairs. Jeff called after him.

“You shouldn’t let him use his real name. He might get the idea he’s a human being or something. I’ll be down for dinner in a minute.”

Jared gritted his teeth; sure that Jeff would text Wayne immediately about Jensen. How had Jeff reached this level of indoctrination? Had to be his friends. Or maybe Mom…Jared put Jeff out of his mind for moment. He had more pressing issues. 

 

 

His parents sat at the dinner table. He noted only four place settings and wondered if they had already   
forgotten about Jensen. Then he mentally slapped his forehead. Of course Jensen wouldn’t be allowed at the table. He looked at the floor and spotted the brand new kneeling cushion positioned next to his usual chair. A sense of unreality dizzied him momentarily. 

His mother sat in her chair stiffly, food untouched on her plate. His father seemed in rare good humor, and ate with gusto. He saw Jared and grinned at him.

“Well son, what do you think?”

Jared pulled out his chair and sagged into it, head in hands. “The better question is what are you thinking?”

“Yes, Gerald. What are you thinking?” His mother’s clipped voice revealed the depth of her outrage. Jared had only heard this tone from her once before. The day his father lost a job.

“Well, dear, I was thinking that Jared needs a slave so his social status among his peers won’t be damaged. I’ve heard that song often enough from you.”

Jared couldn’t remember ever seeing his father so pleased with himself.

His mother stood and threw her napkin to the table. “But a boy? Really, Gerald? You know what people will say! This boy will ruin Jared’s reputation!”

“Hush, darling. Don’t be ridiculous. Jared how many of your classmates have same sex slaves?”

Jared looked between his parents. “Uh, I hadn’t really noticed. There are a few, though. Devon Kennedy has a boy and Mary Sweets has a girl. Jeff’s friend Wayne has a boy. I really haven’t been paying attention to that kind of thing.”

“See, Sherri? Surely Jared can’t look inappropriate if a Kennedy does the same thing?”

Jared watched his mother gather herself and braced for the coming storm.

“You did this on purpose just to thwart me, Gerald Padalecki! I won’t have my son corrupted and trained in deviant ways just so you can get one over on me. How can you do this? When I agreed to allow you to buy a slave for Jared, you know good and well that I would never stand for this! What about the church? I won’t be able to show my face there again until you stop this farce and get rid of that boy! Buy him a proper girl, so…” Sherri’s eyes flashed and her bosom heaved with indignation. 

“Agreed? You practically forced the issue because all of your friends have slaves for their children. I did what I thought best for Jared.”

Jared sat perfectly still. It seemed his parents had decided the time had come for Jared to become sexually active. Or at least his mother assumed that would happen. Jared watched his father carefully, amazed that the man’s demeanor still appeared confident. Jared knew that wouldn’t last. His father had never won a fight with his mother in his lifetime. So, he guessed Jensen would be going back to the trainer’s in short order.

Gerald sat back in his chair, removed his glasses and cleaned them thoughtfully with his napkin. He smiled at Jared. “Sherri, I will not return the boy. It appears that he has a persistent problem with disobedience, so I got him at a bargain price.”

“So,” Sherri began, her eyes flashing dangerously, “you not only bought a boy, you bought a defiant defective boy! That’s the last straw. If you don’t return him this instant I’m leaving.”

Gerald chuckled. “I’ll help you pack.”

Jared’s stomach hurtled toward the floor as his mouth dropped open.

“And you won’t be taking Jared with you.”

Sherri seethed. “How will you stop me?”

Gerald stood. “I’m going to the living room. Jared, come with me so we can talk.”

Sherri lunged forward and grabbed Gerald bicep. “You’re not going anywhere. Jared, go pack enough clothing for a week. We’ll go to my sister’s.” She said. 

Jared quailed slightly. His mother’s face grew ugly with bitter triumph.

Gerald stopped and pried Sherri’s fingers off his arm, none too gently. “I’ve had enough of your snobbery and your overbearing behavior. Leave if you want. You might stop to think how you’ll support yourself. You’ve never had a job and you have no qualifications as anything but a bitch. I can certainly put off paying you any maintenance for quite a while, or did you forget that I have free access to my company’s lawyers? How will you pay yours?”

Jared stood up abruptly and trotted into the living room. He didn’t need or want to hear any of this. He would talk to his father about Jensen alone, or not at all. He would have to talk to him about Jeff, too.

 

Jensen looked after Jared’s retreating back, seething with humiliation and anger, and confusing hurtful gratitude. When he woke up yesterday morning, Mr. Roman, his primary trainer, had informed him that he had failed in training as a companion slave and the Slave Depot planned to send him elsewhere. Wild relief coursed through his veins at this news. He almost felt happy for the first time in years. For once he patted himself on the back for his failure in self-control. Despite his better judgment, Jensen always completely failed to systematically debase himself for his trainers. 

He couldn’t forget how it felt to be free, and the unfairness of his situation scalded him with bitterness whenever he remembered how he had been seized and sold to pay for his family’s medical expenses following a serious car accident. Guided by the social worker assigned to his case, Jensen had appealed to all his living relatives. One by one their turned their backs until the respite period passed and he could no longer buy his way back to freedom. 

Bitter at such thorough rejection by his family, Jensen resisted starvation, beatings, and other, more creative, punishments. Determined that Slave Depot would not get their money’s worth from him, his defiance continued to burn bright. In fact, with every additional degrading task he had been forced to perform, he had become even more determined to resist. It seemed that his behavior had paid off for him. He rejoiced…until his handler walked him back to chain him in his room.

Minder Edlund shook his head sorrowfully as he chained Jensen to the headboard of his bed. “I’m real sorry, boy. If you had just made an effort it wouldn’t have come to this.”

Jensen flopped on his back on his bed, grinning. “But I got what I want! They’re sending me somewhere else. Mr. Roman said so.”

Edlund gulped and Jensen stared at the obvious sorrow in the older man’s eyes. 

“I missed something, didn’t I?”

“I guess Mr. Roman said that you were going to be trained for other positions? He lied. Jensen, son, they’re sending you for organ harvesting.”

“What do you mean?” Fear prickled the nape of Jensen’s neck.

“Just like what it sounds. They’re sending you to a medical facility where all your internal organs will be removed and cataloged for sale. Kill you.”

“Wait…no. Why would they do that?”

“Do you have any idea how much money they’ve spent trying to make you marketable? They paid off your family’s extensive medical debt, counting on you being valuable enough to recoup it and make a profit. They’ve spent more than me and my whole family would earn in our lifetime. I guess because you’re so pretty they made an extra effort with you. They need to cut their losses and move on. Nobody will buy a defiant slave. They can’t set you free; you’re classified as a sub-citizen. It would be illegal for anyone to hire you or give you food or shelter. Mr. Roman can’t stomach selling sub-par slaves to the labs. So, instead of a slow death from starvation and exposure, or sending you to the labs for experiments, they’re just going to convert you into a more profitable form. They put you to sleep first. From what I hear, it’s painless.”

Jensen cried out, leaping to his feet, stopped short by his chain. “No! Get Mr. Roman. Please, I’ll try harder to be good. They can’t do this!”

“They can and they will, son.” Edlund backed toward the door.

Jensen stretched and managed to pluck at his minder’s sleeve. “Unlock me, Edlund. Please give me a chance to run.”

“I wish I could, Jensen, I really do. But I would lose my place here and with that kind of thing on my record, I wouldn’t be able to get any kind of job that would pay me a living wage. I have to think of my family. We could all end up just like you.”

“So, you’re killing me just as much as they are!” Jensen jerked futilely at the chain binding him to his bed.

“No, son. You killed yourself with your refusal to accept your station. You’ve been given chance after chance.”

“I didn’t know! No one said! Please! I’m only fourteen!”

Edlund just shook his head and left Jensen alone with his terror.

Throughout that night, Jensen’s emotions ran the gamut from fear to rage and back again. He would cry for a while and then swear to himself that he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing him break. But, as the sun rose, he knew that he would do anything at all to escape dying. He had thought his life a wasteland until he faced losing it. He wondered if they would do it today. Or if they would just transport him to the place where he would be killed and he would be allowed one more night. He wished Edlund hadn’t told him. But even more, he wished he had just given in and learned to submit. 

He lay shivering in his bunk. His thoughts locked into a useless series of questions: When? How long did he have? If they let him go to class with the others today, he could beg Mr. Roman to just give him one more chance. Even the oral sex lessons; they had always ending up forcing him anyway; he could do it willingly. If he had known his choice was either learn or die, he would have shown much more cooperation. That’s what he would do. He would crawl to Mr. Roman and beg to be allowed to suck him. He would show them all what a good slave he could be. If he just got one more chance.

But the time he usually got taken down for breakfast passed. Then the time for class to start came and went. Jensen started crying and couldn’t stop. He sat up in his bed, rocking back and forth, with scenarios of dismemberment flooding through his mind. Just when he was about to start screaming, he heard the bar being drawn back from his door. He took a deep trembling breath and tried to compose himself.

Mr. Roman opened the door and looked solemnly at Jensen. “I see someone let you know what would happen today.”

Jensen got to his knees on the floor, his right arm pulled awkwardly above his head since he had little play in his chains.

“Please, Master. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about things from your point of view. I’ll do better, I promise. Please don’t…” he had to stop, fear clogged his throat. He couldn’t look at Mr. Roman. He tried to bend over to put his forehead on the ground in extreme submission, but he couldn’t make the chain reach. He stayed perfectly still and waited for Mr. Roman to say something.

Mr. Roman cleared his throat. “Jensen, look at me.”

Jensen slowly straightened up and raised his tear-swollen eyes.

“You look awful.” Mr. Roman sighed. “I might have found a way out for you. But, if you fuck this up there will be no possible way to avoid harvesting. Do you want to hear this offer?”

“Yes sir.” Jensen responded promptly. He turned his head to wipe his eyes and nose with his left sleeve. A twinge of hope sprang painfully to life in his chest.

“I called a friend of mine who has a boy about your age. He agreed to meet with you, and if he likes you he’ll take you for a slave to his son. Can you do that? Can you make this man believe you’re worth his time and money? Can you be a good slave for his son?”

Jensen wanted to shout his agreement. But then he sat back and thought about it. Being placed. Actually having to satisfy another boy sexually. And maybe all of his friends. And possibly his father and all of his friends. He had no idea what to expect. Would that life actually be preferable to a painless death? Well at least the security in a private household couldn’t possibly be as tight as Slave Depot’s. If he couldn’t stand it, he would make a run for it. Jensen squared his shoulders and nodded. “I will, sir.”

Mr. Roman grunted in acknowledgment. “At least you thought about it first before answering. The man’s here. His name is Gerald Padalecki. He’s waiting to talk to you in the pick-up room. I’m going to unlock your chain. Why don’t you see what you can do about your eyes? I’ll send Edlund for you in fifteen minutes. I’ll be watching the interview. The first mistake you make will be your last.”

Jensen nodded. Mr. Roman unlocked the chain from the bed and then the cuff from Jensen’s wrist. It had been a while since the cuff had been removed. The various instructors had found it prudent to keep Jensen chained in the classroom or he would disrupt the other trainees. His arm felt strangely light without the cold metal weight. The indention left in his wrist surprised Jensen by its depth. Mr. Roman left him with one stern look. 

Jensen went into his small bath and looked in the mirror. Swollen, red rimmed eyes looked back at him from a deathly pale face. He wrung a washcloth out in cold water and held it to his face, replacing the water whenever the cloth began to warm. Edlund knocked on the door. Jensen couldn’t see any real improvement in his appearance, but his time was up. 

“Where’s the cuff?”

“Mr. Roman took it off, sir.”

“Sir, is it now? So, you’re going to go with me voluntarily and not make a fuss?”

Jensen nodded. “Mr. Roman says I have a chance at a buyer.”

“So…the man waiting for you is a buyer, not a pick-up man?”

Jensen’s heart tripped. What if Mr. Roman lied just to get Jensen to go to his own death quietly? “That’s what Master Mr. Roman told me.”

Edlund snorted. “I hope it’s true. Well, come on then.”


	5. Five

Gerald Padalecki didn’t know what to expect. When his old friend Richard Roman called him in distress about having to send one of his trainees for harvesting, Gerald had volunteered to take the troubled slave. Now, as he sat on a cold metal chair in the alarmingly dreary pick-up room he began to second-guess his decision. Mr. Roman had insisted he meet the boy before making a final decision. Gerald knew this purchase could be a mistake. His wife would never forgive him for making such an extravagant purchase without consulting her…but his son? Gerald was bi-sexual and he knew from the way his son eyed other men, probably without awareness that he was doing it, that Jared shared his orientation. 

His youngest son had never shown any interest at all in women or girls. Most of Jared’s friends were already meeting girls at the movies or dating in groups. Jared never participated. His older brother Jeff had already had one pregnancy scare by the time he reached fourteen. While that circumstance fell far outside what Gerald thought appropriate, at least Jeff had no doubts about his sexuality. Gerald wanted Jared to have a full life. He sighed. As advanced as civilization had gotten in some areas, backsliding had occurred in others. Slavery for instance. Society still had a horror of homosexuality while simultaneously accepting it as long as one only expressed it with slaves.

This boy would give Jared a chance to explore his sexuality privately and safely, without running the risk of social censure. Sherri’s religious beliefs would never allow Jared a chance to interact sexually with another male citizen; Gerald could get around most of her objections by pointing out that Jared would certainly experiment at some point, so why not do it in a controlled fashion with a boy who could not refuse him or hurt him emotionally. He could make her see the social advantages for Jared of appearing prosperous. And in the process save a boy’s life.

He jumped when the door opened, so lost in thought he didn’t hear footsteps coming down the corridor.  
He saw an extremely beautiful, but very distraught young man slip through the door. The boy kept his head down and came across the room to fall to his knees gracefully on the kneeling bench next to Gerald’ chair. 

“59263? Is that your identification code?”

“Yes sir.” The response came in a pleasant clear baritone voice, the shakiness nearly unnoticeable.

“I want you to sit at the table with me for a while. I want you to look at me while we talk. Can you do that?”

“Yes sir.” Jensen stood up, pulled a chair out from the other side of the miniscule metal table and sat down, lifting his face. Gerald studied him. 

“Are you upset because I might buy you today, or is it something else?”

Jensen blinked his thick eyelashes rapidly. Fighting back tears?

“Sir, I really hope you will buy me today.”

“Why is that?” Gerald stomach sank as he realized that that someone had told Jensen he was going to be put down if he didn’t please Gerald.

Jensen gave him a frank look. “I think you know. I haven’t been very successful in my classes here, so they, uh, marked me for disposal. You’re my last chance, sir.”

Gerald nodded. “Why do you think you did so poorly in your classwork here? Which classes did you have trouble with?”

Jensen sighed. “I didn’t have a problem with the academic courses; it was the actual slave behavior training.”

Gerald nodded again. “I saw your transcript. You had straight A’s in the regular school work. You did equally well in cooking class. It looks like your main problem was with classes marked “SS.” What does that stand for?”

A crimson flush painted Jensen’s face and neck. “Sexual submission, sir.”

Gerald’ face burned as well. Mr. Roman hadn’t mentioned the particular area of difficulty. “I see. What kinds of skills did that class seek to teach you?”

Jensen looked at him imploringly, and then seemed to remember that he had to behave perfectly during this interview. “Ah, I was prepared for intercourse, and I was supposed to learn to perform oral sex.”

Gerald looked away. He thought about Jared “being prepared” for anal sex or being forced to give an older man a blow job. The thought sickened him. This practice reinforced his opinion that whole personal slave infrastructure was an abomination. He cleared his throat. 

“Well…I don’t think I would have liked that very much either.”

Jensen looked shocked. “But that’s supposed to be my major function, sir. I am useless without being able to willingly and competently perform.”

Gerald cocked an eyebrow and grinned. Jensen smiled back tentatively. Damn the boy’s good looking. He’d be drop-dead gorgeous if I could get a real smile out of him. “So if I told you that I’m buying you for my fourteen-year old son, would you be interested in joining my household as his personal companion? The sexual part of the relationship could remain on hold.”

“You mean I would be excused from sexual duties?” 

Gerald could hear an undertone of dazed relief in Jensen’s voice. “I’m not saying nothing would ever happen. I’m just saying you would have to be a willing participant before it did. Jared, my son, hasn’t been exposed to much sexuality. From what I can tell he avoids his classmates who own slaves and he doesn’t date yet. I don’t even know if he would be comfortable thinking about the kinds of things they expect you to do here, much less asking you to do them. I don’t even know for sure if he is attracted to males, but, if he is, you will be spending all day and night together and you are very attractive. I don’t see him resisting the constant temptation.”

Jensen flushed again. “So, if an attraction grows between us, sex would be permitted; but otherwise not forced. For example, you…”

“Jensen, as appealing as you are, you are far too young for my tastes. My wife wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole. It would never occur to Jared to offer your use to anyone, but, just in case, I will tell him he’s not to do that.”

“So…what would I do?”

Gerald saw Jensen begin to relax and a spark of interest flashed in the boy’s eyes. “Be his friend. Help with his homework. He starts high school in the fall and I see that you’ve already had the math he will be taking, and math is a weak point for him. Basically, his mother wants him to have a slave because the other boys in his social class have them. I think Jared will treat you more like a brother than a slave. Neither of us has a very high opinion of the whole slavery system.”

Gerald studied Jensen who was starting to look like he had just gotten a puppy for his birthday. He liked what he saw and he thought Jensen would be perfectly behaved with Jared. He could see the intelligence in Jensen’s black eyes, and the boy’s beauty would certainly please Sherri. Jared would have the most attractive slave in his social class. He frowned. That might pose a problem in and of itself.

“Do you want me, sir?” Jensen’s voice trembled and he boldly placed on hand on the back of Gerald’. “Please don’t leave me here to die.”

Gerald nodded, fighting back tears of his own. “I brought a household collar with me. Will you accept it?”

Jensen beamed. The force of the smile nearly blinded Gerald and he found himself grinning back. Gerald pulled the collar out of his pocket and Jensen sank to his knees with alacrity. The boy extended his neck and held still while Gerald locked the strip of tan leather around his neck.

 

Jensen knelt alone in his new master’s bedroom, thoughts whirling in his head. He cursed his stubborn disposition. He thought Mr. Padalecki believed what he told him about his son. But, Jensen wouldn’t really know until he had more time with Jared. He had to face it. He might just be waiting here to be violated. He had wanted to believe Mr. Padalecki’s assurances that Jared would not force him into   
sex. But he knew how people looked at him when they wanted him. He had seen Jared’s interest plainly in his eyes, and a bulge grow in his pants. He had been more or less ordered to shower, so that’s what he would do. He wondered if he should remove the butt plug Mr. Roman had crammed up in him right before his new owner had returned from the office to take possession. 

 

Jensen turned the shower on and mindlessly began going through the washing routine that had been drilled into him since the age of nine. He looked in vain for enema equipment. What kind of people had bought him? How was he supposed to stay appropriately clean without proper equipment? 

 

“Dad,” Jared began slowly, “maybe you should send him back. Mom’s really mad. What if she does leave? What if she makes me go with her? I.…”

Gerald sighed and then smiled. “I just came into a very large inheritance. That money, plus my new salary and stock options at work make us a very wealthy family. You know your mother. Do you really think she would walk away from a chance to lord it over her friends at the country club? She knows that if she leaves without cause she could only get maintenance for a year while she prepares to enter the work force. I would certainly argue for that. If she took you with her, she would have to spend all of the child support money on your upkeep and education. I would make sure none of it made its way into her purse. I don’t see it happening.”

Jared nodded. That sounded like a good analysis of his mother’s personality. He shuddered at the thought of living alone with her in some tiny apartment somewhere. “But I don’t want a slave.”

“Let me explain his situation. Normally, as you know, there would be no way I would ever buy a slave by my own decision. Your mom went behind my back to buy Mimi and Jose to help with the house and the entertaining, and I agreed to go along with it. So, you must wonder why I bought this one.”

Jared nodded. “I thought…yeah, I can’t understand this at all.”

Gerald smiled tightly. “Your boy…”

“His name is Jensen.”

Gerald nodded. “Jensen. He had a problem with defiance, like I told you. What I didn’t tell you, is Slave Depot had written him off as untrainable. If I hadn’t taken him they were going to harvest his organs today.”

Jared stared at his father blankly. “What?”

“They were going to send him to a surgeon and clean him like a fish.”

“But…but…kill him? You mean they were going to kill him? How is that legal?”

“Son, Jensen was their property. They could do anything they wanted with him. Management only looks at the bottom line. They couldn’t train him or free him so to them this makes sense as a way to recoup some of their costs. So, do you want me to return him to be killed?” Gerald’ tone was mild, but Jared heard the disappointment underneath.

“No!” Jared shuddered. “There’s no way I would want that to happen. But…what am I supposed to do with him?”

Gerald sighed. “The simple answer? Whatever you like. Let me ask you this and get it out of the way before we both die from embarrassment. I think you’re attracted to boys. Am I right?”

Jared stared at the floor, heat rising in his chest. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“I still remember your fascination with the models at Abercrombie. Do you have sex dreams yet?”

“Dad…do we have to talk about this?”

Gerald put his hand on Jared’s shoulder. “Look at me, son.”

Jared forced himself to meet his father’s gaze. 

“This is important. This slave’s disobedience involved sexual activity. He apparently has deep issues that even years in training couldn’t overcome. So, I need to ask you, right now, to promise that you won’t take advantage of him that way, without his freely given consent.”

Jared shifted nervously from foot to foot. “Dad…” His face broiled and he felt dizzy with chagrin. “I would never…I don’t even want… but that explained how he acted.”

Gerald frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well…did you, um, leave him in my room naked?”

Gerald groaned. “No. I just told him to wait that you would be home soon. So, he stripped?” Gerald buried his face in his hands.

“Yeah, he uh, indicated that he wanted me to “go ahead and get it over with.”

“I told him…I tried to tell him that you wouldn’t take advantage of him like that.”

“It took me a minute to understand what he was afraid of. Then when I told him to get dressed, he wouldn’t put on underwear, said he was forbidden to wear it.”

“Give him some time. We need to earn his trust. And even though he failed his training, some of it was bound to stick.”

“Yeah.” Jared smiled wryly. “He’s like that feral cat I brought home that hid in the bookshelves for a week. I spent every free minute talking to it and trying to coax it out with food.”

Gerald nodded. “But your patience paid off. Best pet we ever had. Most loving cat I’ve ever seen. I hope your patience will work the same miracle with…Jensen.” Gerald grinned. “I know you can see how attractive he is. You need to watch your so-called friends at school. When I was your age, my friends shared their slaves with each other. Once I saw what was going on, I avoided situations where I might have to watch something like that, or be pressed to participate. So…be very careful who you leave him with. In your absence he would have to obey the command of any other master.”

Jared gaped. “You mean if I left him alone at Devon’s, or in the library, somebody might try to rape him?”

“Well…legally it wouldn’t be rape, just misappropriation of personal property. But yes. And even worse than that. If he resisted they could beat him into submission or just kill him out of hand. If he defended himself they could sue you, well, really me, for damages. Just…don’t underestimate your friends’ capacity for thinking about slaves as non-human.”

Jared shook his head. “I don’t get it.” But he did. He had seen it. He had watched his brother cross the line into thinking about slaves as toys.

“I hope you never do. Best thing? Swallow your embarrassment and have a talk with him about specifics. You won’t be able to set his mind at ease just hinting around.”

“I’ll try. And listen, Dad…could you talk to Jeff?”

Gerald flinched. “Why?”

Jared dropped his head. “I have reason to believe he’s going to put a lot of pressure on me to let him use Jensen. I would hate to have to guard him even at home.”

Gerald sighed. “You know this for sure?”

Jared nodded slowly. “Please don’t make me tell you how I know, but I’m completely sure that Jeff would think nothing about using Jensen any way he wanted.”

Gerald turned his back abruptly. Jared could hear the strain in his voice. “I had hoped that both of you would learn from my example. But I guess peer pressure trumps parents most of the time. Not to mention your mother’s attitude. I’ll talk to him.”

“Thanks, Dad. Don’t tell him I told you anything.”

Gerald snorted. “I won’t. I know how things between brothers work.”


	6. Six

Jared eased back into his bedroom, finding Jensen clean and dressed, sitting on the very edge of the bed. Jared fidgeted. Then with a deep sigh, he plunged into it.

“Jensen, I think we need to talk. Can you look at me? Do you think you could answer a couple of questions for me?

Jensen eyed Jared, unease apparent in every line of his body. He nodded jerkily, chewing his bottom lip.

Jared sat down on the bed as far from Jensen as he could. “How long were you at the slave trainer’s? Before you came here?”

Jensen squirmed gingerly on the edge of the bed and sighed. “My whole history is in my paperwork, Master. You couldn’t possibly be interested in something as boring as my life.”

Jared sighed. “We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. I would like to get to know you. I think we could be friends. Would you want that? To be my friend?”

Jensen looked at him sidelong and tilted his head. “How could we possibly be friends?”

Jared thought about that question for a minute. He got up and paced, running one hand nervously through his hair. Jensen watched him like a mouse would watch a cat. “I need your trust. I want you to feel safe here. I need for you to understand that I’m not going to hurt you.”

“You’re a master…”

“And?”

Jensen shook his head and turned his face away.

Jared longed to reach out and touch Jensen. To ground him or comfort him. He was pretty sure that Jensen would misconstrue any attempt to touch. He ground his teeth. He cursed his youth and inexperience to deal with this. Maybe if he got Jensen to talk about something else first he would have more luck. 

“Let’s start over. What did you expect to happen when I got home, Jensen?”

Jensen’s full bottom lip trembled and Jared’s heart ached.

“I thought you would be pleased with me and use me immediately. I mean, I hoped you would find me pleasing. Clearly you don’t.”

The bitterness in Jensen’s tone intrigued Jared. The boy had some spirit. He had never seen even a flash of personality from Twelve, who was the only other slave Jared knew. “What makes you think I don’t find you, uh, pleasing?”

“You’re over there and I’m over here.”

“Do you want me to, uh, use you? Are you even attracted to me?” Jared asked.

Jensen frowned. “I have no idea if I’m attracted to anyone, really. I’ve been told often enough that any master I serve, I will have to satisfy. So, do I want you to take what’s yours? I don’t know; it’s what I need to happen. What I might want is totally irrelevant,” Jensen lowered his head and his hair swung down like a veil, blocking Jared’s view of his face.”

Head swirling and heart aching, Jared walked slowly back to the bed and sat down beside Jensen.

“What do you mean; it’s what you need to happen?”

“Masters don’t keep slaves who don’t fulfill their needs.”

Jared nodded. “But do you think that the only needs a master might have would involve sex?”

Jensen paused, wrinkling his brow in thought. “I never thought about it. That seems to be the only thing my trainers wanted to be sure I knew. I mean, why would you want anything else from me? You’re a master. Your friends will be other masters. Your lovers will be other citizens. All I’m good for is to do your scut work and let you fuck me.”

The slave’s bluntness startled Jared. “I appreciate your honesty. But I’m starting to understand why they had a problem with you at the trainer’s. You do know that you can’t talk to me or any other citizen like that when we’re out in public, don’t you?”

“What does it matter?” Jensen laughed harshly. “Didn’t your father tell you? I’m as good as dead. If I don’t please you and you send me back to Slave Depot I’ll be dead in twenty-four hours. It doesn’t matter what I want.”

Jared tried to think about what it must be like to be Jensen. He reached out and carefully touched Jensen’s forearm. “Do you play cards? Like movies? Do you like to read?”

Jensen stared at him, his breath uneven. “Yes, to all of that.”

Jared grinned at him. “Do you play video games?”

“I never have. I’ve seen them, though.”

“Would you like to?”

Jared thought he saw a light come on in Jensen’s eyes. “Sure.”

Jared bumped shoulders with his slave. “See? We can do all those things together. I want you to enjoy living here with me. I want you to forget about dying. I’m not going to send you back, no matter what you do or don’t do. Let’s just forget about the sex right now.”

Jensen looked doubtful as he shifted on the bed again and winced. Jared wondered why, but decided to keep on talking.

“Have you had other masters?”

“No. This is my first sale, Master.”

Jared winced. “Stop with the “master” stuff. I’m Jared and you’re Jensen, okay? I know that the law requires certain behavior from us, but surely we can forget about that when we’re alone in my room, can’t we?”

“I don’t understand.” Jensen said. “I’m really trying, but I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Look,” Jared started. He stopped for a long moment trying to gather his thoughts. “I’ve never really thought about having a slave because my family is against ownership. But, do I want you sexually? Goddamn, boy, you have to know how beautiful you are.”

A rosy flush spread up Jensen’s neck. “I’m healthy and in good condition, Mas…Jared. But from an objective standpoint, I’m no better looking than any other slave in my pod.”

Jared chuckled. “I doubt that. How old are you? You talk like you’re fifty.”

“I’m fourteen. I’ll be fifteen next month.”

Jared put his arm around Jensen. To his dismay, the boy’s faint tremors became more pronounced at his touch.

“Jensen…have you ever had sex before?”

“No! I’ve been trained, but I’ve never actually…done anything, more than oral sex.”

“What do you mean, trained?”

Jensen stirred nervously. “You know…videos, demonstrations, toys…”

“Toys?” Jared asked, disgusted at the thought. Or at least he tried to be disgusted. Unbidden pictures of Jensen with a dildo up his ass moaning with pleasure flashed through his mind. He quelled them with difficulty.

Jensen shifted his weight again. He displayed discomfort in almost every movement.

“Are you hurt, somewhere? You don’t seem to be sitting very well.”

Jensen’s flushed face deepened to crimson. “They prepared me before delivery.”

Jared looked at him blankly. “What does that mean, exactly?”

Jensen shot him an incredulous look. Jared grinned at him. The boy had a personality. 

“You said I could say anything as long as we’re in this room.”

Jared nodded. “Yes. Or whenever we’re alone.”

“I don’t want you to fuck me.” Jensen’s eyes first sparked defiantly and then filled with fear.

Jared nodded at him encouragingly. “Okay. Then that’s off the table. But tell me what’s bothering you?”

Jensen stood suddenly and pulled down his sweats. He turned his back toward Jared. Protruding from the cheeks of his perfectly rounded ass was a piece of lime green plastic. Distracted by this new revelation of Jensen’s physical attributes, Jared swallowed hard and then concentrated his attention on the implement. 

“What is that, Jensen?”

Jensen sighed. “Pull on it slowly.”

Jared reached out, wishing that he could run his hands over the velvety smooth skin on Jensen’s perky behind instead and grasped the thing. He pulled gently. Nothing happened, except Jensen’s muscles tensed. 

“I think you’re going to have to pull harder than that.”

“I don’t want to hurt you. Is this something they stuck up inside you?” Jared felt faint. “Why don’t you take it out?”

“It’s not allowed,” Jensen said softly.

“I’m changing that rule right now,” Jared said. “I think you can get that out without causing yourself unnecessary pain. I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t want to hurt you.” 

Jared suddenly understood what Jensen had shoved up in him. He had heard about this…a butt plug. They had worked Jensen open and filled him with this plug to keep his channel dilated so that Jared could just bend him over and take him. At that thought, Jared’s body flushed with unfamiliar heat. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to do just that. His cock throbbed slowly but forcefully. After all, Jensen was ready. He expected it. Jared squelched that line of thinking. He wasn’t going to take advantage of Jensen’s predicament. Jensen had made his boundaries crystal clear. Jared didn’t want to be that kind of person. Hell Jared wasn’t going to be that kind of person.

Jensen took hold of the flange on the device with one shaking hand and, with a twisting motion, drew out a plug that looked brutally large to Jared. The slave whimpered as it came out, with a liquid pop. Jensen’s noise of distress simultaneously spurred Jared’s lust to greater heights and made him determined never to hurt Jensen or let anyone else hurt him ever again. Jared took the offending object, walked in front of Jensen and put the thing in his waste basket. Jensen hastily pulled his pants back up.

“All right. Let’s revise your thinking just a little bit. I guess you were told that you were to be my obedient little sex toy and that I could do whatever I want with you, right?”

Jensen nodded, chewing his bottom lip again. Jared looked away. Jensen’s mouth would undo him if he looked at it much longer.

Jared smiled when Jensen raised his head and looked at him appraisingly. “That’s good. Never be afraid to look me in the eye. Never be afraid to talk to me.” Jared reached out and laid a gentle hand on Jensen’s thigh, resisting the urge to slide it higher. “Legally I suppose that’s true. But I want us to be friends. If the sex happens someday, great. If it doesn’t...” Jared shrugged. “I’m not going to force you to do anything like that. I have to admit you’re the hottest thing I’ve ever seen…but I’m not going to rape you.”

Jensen’s lips turned up in a tentative smile. “I wish I could believe you. After all, a slave can’t be raped. I have no right to deny you.”

Jared nodded. “You don’t know me and I don’t know you. Once you know me, you’ll believe me.”

Jensen looked at Jared’s groin pointedly. “But you’re hard.”

Jared laughed and scratched the back of his neck, sheepishly. “Yeah. I’m fourteen. I’m hard a lot of the time. Aren’t you?”

Jensen snorted. “I guess so. But it was required of me. I have no idea what I’m like outside of a training situation.”

“Let’s find out together, okay? Right now, I’m going to take a shower. I played basketball all afternoon and I’m sure I’m just a bouquet of roses right now.”

Jensen giggled and a helpless grin lit up Jared’s face. Jensen had been beautiful when he had been miserable. Amusement made the boy transcendent. Jared stood up hurriedly. He had made some promises to Jensen that he might not be able to keep if he didn’t leave the room immediately.


	7. Seven

Jensen and Jared: First day of high school

They had three months to get used to each other before Jared started high school. Jared had shown infinite patience. For the first week, he hadn’t asked Jensen to leave their bedroom. He gave Jensen the same food he ate. Jared went out to the mall and bought Jensen jeans, shirts and shoes. And underwear. They spent hours talking. Jensen described his classwork and his other training and what he could remember about his family. Sometimes Jensen pushed Jared. He would go into great detail about specific sexual skills he had been forced to learn, keeping an eagle eye on his master. Even though Jared would become obviously aroused by these discussions, he never lost control. Jensen eventually stopped teasing Jared when he started to become just as aroused by the conversations. 

Jared introduced Jensen to video games and they whiled away the hours late into the night playing their way through the library of games Jared’s father had purchased to go with the new X-box Jared had also eventually received for his birthday. They watched movies. Eventually Jared persuaded Jensen it would be safe for him to go outside. Jensen learned basketball and baseball with surprising facility, revealing a natural athletic ability. Jared taught him to ride a bicycle and got permission from Jeff for Jensen to use his old bike. Jared took him to the swimming pool and gradually introduced Jensen to his friends. To his surprise, Jared’s best friends, Chad and Sophia, treated Jensen no differently than Jared did. Sometimes in the midst of a basketball game or splashing in the pool, Jensen almost forgot.

When Jared started high school he insisted that Jensen be allowed to accompany him to school. His mother protested at the top of her lungs. Gerald stepped in once again and pointed out that all the other boys in Jared’s social class took their slaves along. Sherri shut up, although her body language screamed her disapproval. Jensen heaved a sigh of relief. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if Jared left him alone with Sherri all day.

Then Jared and Gerald returned the possibility of hope to Jensen’s life.

Gerald walked in to the high school with them on the first day. Jensen ghosted along behind Jared, eyes to the ground and shoulders hunched. Jared had insisted that Jensen dress like any other high school student, so he had on jeans and a pull-over that nearly matched Jared’s. Jared saw his friends and Gerald said something Jensen couldn’t make out and went on into the school building. Jensen’s palms perspired and his heart thudded unpleasantly as Jared’s friends surrounded them. That’s when he saw them. The other slaves. Two or three were dressed like him, but the rest were in the ubiquitous gray slave-wear. All of them knelt on the ground. Jensen hurriedly followed suit, as Jared joined his friends to talk before school started. Jared rested his hand lightly on top of Jensen’s head, grounding and comforting him. They had discussed Jensen’s behavior the night before and agreed that he would behave like the other slaves when in public places with Jared. Jensen was gratified that his training came to the forefront like a reflex. 

A bell shrilled and the crowd evaporated. Jared tapped Jensen on the shoulder and Jensen stood, shouldering Jared’s backpack and the two entered the school building. Jensen was amazed at how quickly the chaotic mob of milling students had disappeared. He saw slaves kneeling by their owner’s lockers, heads down and hands loosely clasped. He wondered what he would do all day. The boredom would surely kill him. Then Jared bypassed the ranks of lockers and Jensen saw that they were, apparently, headed to the principal’s office.

Stifling his curiosity, Jensen followed Jared into Principal Trimble’s office and knelt at Jared’s feet while his master talked to the receptionist. Jensen heard Jared tell her Jared had an appointment and that Gerald had already arrived. Jensen couldn’t imagine what might happen next and was surprised when Jared took his hand and dragged him along with him into the large office.

Jensen knelt as quickly as he could once they entered the office. He peeked around through the veil of his hair and saw that the principal apparently was a man who didn’t believe in wasting money on décor. The beige tile floor had no rug to soften its dull appearance. The principal sat behind a cheap gray metal desk. Venetian blinds served the purpose of drapes. No plants that Jensen could see. And no slave in attendance. He remembered the opulent luxury of Mr. Roman’s office and wondered how much money Slave Depot cleared off each sale. He watched Gerald rise from one of the ancient oak client chairs and greet Jared with a hand on his shoulder. Jensen’s mind stopped wandering when Gerald and Mr. Trimble got past the pleasantry stage of the conversation and he heard his own name.

Gerald took a manila envelope from his briefcase and laid it on the desk. “I think this is all the necessary paperwork. I have included the trust agreement we discussed.”

Trimble opened the envelope and slid out the documents, perusing them thoroughly. Jensen watched Jared who sat patiently and waited. Gerald lounged as much as possible in the unforgiving wooden chair and patted Jared on the knee. Jensen had no idea what might be happening and his curiosity was killing him. Finally, Trimble nodded and looked at Jensen.

“This the boy?”

“Yes. This is Jensen Padalecki,” Gerald said. Jared looked at Jensen and smiled.

Jensen Padalecki? Gerald would allow him to use his name? Strange emotions rose up in Jensen’s chest and unexpected tears prickled in his eyes. 

Mr. Trimble turned and addressed Jared. “I’ve reviewed his transcript and he’s more than ready to enter first year classes. So, he will attend all your classes with you. You understand that even though he does the same assignments and will receive grades, no actual high school credits will be given to him unless and until he is claimed? And he can’t take classes on his own. You will have to be with him at all times.”

Jared and Gerald both nodded.

What the fuck? Jared was getting him enrolled in high school? Jensen’s heart soared. Claimed? Gerald thought that Jared might claim him one day? His heart raced. Claimed slaves could be freed after five years with a level of citizenship that would allow him to work and own property. Claiming was like marriage. But that meant sex…and Jensen was pretty sure he never, ever would want to have sex. If the act was anything like the trainers represented it, intercourse was painful and demeaning. He conveniently “forgot” the arousal that sometimes plagued him during conversations or close physical proximity with Jared. He figured his daily jerk-off sessions in the shower didn’t mean anything either. Just a normal outlet for stress and the pressure of hormones. So what if Jared’s image frequently sprang to mind. Wait. What were they saying?

Gerald tapped one of the documents. It had a blue back. “I understand that if Jensen remains unclaimed after the age of twenty-one, I will have to reimburse the school for the cost of Jensen’s education. That’s what this trust agreement is for. I’ve already deposited payment in full. You can see that the full trust amount will become the property of the school if no claim is registered on Jensen by the due date. The money will come back to me, if he is claimed in time.”

Jensen had trouble catching his breath. Dizziness threatened to send him full length on the floor. He couldn’t dare to even guess how much money this opportunity might cost Gerald. Abraham and Isaac High School was an expensive and exclusive private school that could only be entered with an accompanying large donation in addition to the tuition and activity fees. Such a possibility was never even broached during his time at the training facility. But the principal nodded as if this was a commonplace transaction. 

“Okay, then. Jared, Jensen will have to kneel, except for labs and classes where he will need to use equipment. He will have to complete all the assignments and pass all the exams just like any other student. I don’t know about sports teams. Did you plan to try out for any teams?”

“Basketball, sir.”

The principal smiled. “Well, you’re certainly tall enough for it. I will talk to the coach. If he has no objection and the parents of the other team members have no objection, then there’s a possibility Jensen could also try to make the team. There’s a certain amount of red tape to wade through with the High School Sports Association, but I can take care of that. It’s a fairly common occurrence. And there will be further fees.”

Jared beamed. “Thank you!” 

Gerald said quietly, “Whatever Jensen needs I will gladly provide.”

“I think you and I must share the same philosophy about slavery,” Trimble said.

Gerald smiled. “Apparently.”

Jared nodded. “Are there any teachers we should avoid?”

Trimble nodded. “Good question. I have a print-out of your schedule here…okay, I don’t think you should be in Ms. Smiters’ English class…is it okay if I move you to Mr. Browning’s class? It’s at the same time. He’s considered to be something of a hard-ass.”

“But he won’t make a big deal out of Jensen participating?’

“No. He won’t do that. His mother was a claimed mate. I think he’ll be pleased to see him in there. From Jensen’s grades, I don’t think they’ll have any problem with one another.”

“That’s what I want.”

“We can’t seem to be accommodating Jensen to your detriment.”

“Understood.”

Then Jared turned and brushed Jensen’s hair away from his face. Jensen couldn’t help the silly grin that split his face with such force his cheeks ached. Jared grinned back just as hard.

“So, I take it you like this idea?”

Jensen cleared his throat, afraid his emotions would be entirely too clear when he spoke. “Thank you, Master. Master Gerald…I never expected this kind of opportunity. I will make you proud.”

Jared snorted. “You’ll do better than I will.” He ran his hand through Jensen’s hair once more, and then stood. “So, our first class is Chemistry?”

Trimble beamed at them as Jensen rose gracefully to his feet. “Yes. Sarah out there will give you a note. Mr. Blevins can’t complain too much since I’m the one who made you late. Gerald, nice to see you again.”

Gerald stopped Jared in the doorway. “Son, I hope you understand what a huge responsibility this is. You will be responsible for Jensen’s behavior.”

Jared looked sidelong at Jensen and smiled softly. “You aren’t going to give me anything to be sorry about, are you Jensen?”

Jensen could practically feel the stars in his eyes. “No, sir.”

Gerald laughed. “I’ll see you boys at home, then. And Jared? Don’t mention this to your mother or do anything that might lead to her finding out.”

Jared frowned. “What if Jensen makes the basketball team?”

Gerald sneered. “Your mother never attended any of Jeff’s school events, so I don’t imagine that pattern will change. But if it does…we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Gerald left and Jared spoke briefly to Sarah.

Jensen trembled with excitement as Sarah gave Jared the late excuse and then handed him a disc of material encoded for Jensen. Jensen put it into Jared’s back-pack with shaking hands. He would worry about the claiming part of the arrangement later. He had four years. He looked appraisingly at his Master. He had to admit it. The teen-ager was growing on him.

Jensen couldn’t actually believe his good fortune until Jared led him into his first class. The only lab stations remaining empty were, of course, those closest to the front of the classroom. Jared gave his excuse to Mr. Blevins and Jensen bobbed slightly unsure whether or not to kneel.

Blevins smiled and motioned to the two seats at the lab station nearest his desk.

“Sorry, boys, late comers don’t get the best choice of seats.”

Jared mock-groaned and elbowed Jensen gently in the side. Jensen hovered uncertainly.

“Jensen, is it?” Mr. Blevins asked.

“Yes, sir,” Jensen didn’t know where to look.

“Go ahead and have a seat, son. You can’t do the work in this class from the floor.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jensen nodded and climbed onto the lab stool next to Jared’s with his heart pounding. He could feel the stares of the other students burning on the back of his neck.

Jared leaned in and whispered, “Relax.” Jensen swallowed hard and looked expectantly at the teacher. Mr. Blevins smiled and began to call the role. Of course Jensen’s name wasn’t on the official role, but he noticed that Mr. Blevins had a separate role book with a yellow-back that he made several check marks in, looking around the room as he did so, lastly straight at Jensen.

Other slaves? Jensen wondered. That many? He had counted at least five check marks. Mr. Blevins grinned. “If you’ haven’t already downloaded the material for this class, please get out your codes and do that right now. We’re going to start with the basics and see how it goes. Anybody here familiar with the periodic table of elements?”

Jensen had memorized the periodic table years ago. Common sense forbade him from participating, so he sat on his hands, while Jared set up his (their?) tablet with the course work for Introduction to Chemistry. Jensen struggled with overwhelming gratitude and wonder. He was alive, with a master who seemed non-abusive right now and he was sitting in a high-school classroom allowed to earn pseudo-credits that could later become real. His luck had been way too good lately and Jensen feared a karmic backlash.

After Chemistry they had AP English, followed by a math class that seemed to be a mash-up of algebra, geometry and trig. 

Jensen saw that Jared already hated the math class by the way he sighed and shifted in his seat. Jensen, kneeling for this class, put one hand on Jared’s ankle. Jared stilled instantly. Jensen itched for a tablet of his own so he could send Jared a note.

 

Math ended and it was lunchtime. Jared looked at his schedule and groaned.

“We can’t have lunch together. There’s a lunch room set aside for slaves and you’ll have to go there. At least it’s close to the regular lunchroom.”

Jensen felt uncomfortably protective.

“It’s okay, Jared. I understand.”

“It’s not okay,” Jared said a mulish expression hardening his features. “There’s nothing okay about it.”

Jensen chuckled. “Don’t be astonished when I have to use a different restroom, too. Didn’t your friends bring slaves with them to middle school?”

Jared spoke in a clipped tone. “I don’t really have actual friends who own slaves. There are some people I have to interact with because we get invited to the same parties and we participate in some of the same school activities. I never really noticed what their slaves did or didn’t do.”

“Yeah, you did,” Jensen murmured.

“Okay, maybe I did. I just didn’t want to think about it.”

Jared drooped. Jensen found himself in the unique position of trying to justify slavery to his own master.

“I’d better go, Jared; we only have forty minutes.”

“Wait for me at the door to the student’s cafeteria. I don’t want you walking through the halls alone. It might not be safe.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “I don’t think anyone will try to hurt me in public, but I don’t want to be walking around here by myself anyway.”


	8. Eight

The slave lunch room was full and noisy. Jensen saw at least twenty other slaves gathered in the room kneeling on the thick padded carpet. Jensen walked in and dead silence fell as the other slaves looked at him blankly. Jensen sighed. Well I thought this might be fun, but I guess not.

A young man dressed in gray slave-wear stood up glaring.

“Who do you belong to?”

“Jared Padalecki.”

“Bullshit. The Padaleckis are abolitionists.”

The other slaves hissed in disapproval.

“For God’s sake, shut up, Twelve,” a tiny brunette girl whispered harshly.

Jensen surveyed the room. He put on his non-committal slave-face.

“Do we get food?”

A red-haired slave stretched indolently, her thin gray sweatshirt sliding up to show a sliver of skin at the waistband of her knit pants.

“What do they call you, boy?”

“Jensen. That’s my name.”

“Well, Jensen, I’m called Precious. The angry one is Twelve.”

“Those are your slave names. What are your real names,” Jensen asked.

A thin blond boy kneeling by himself in the corner responded. “Why bother to remember? We’ll never be those people again.”

Jensen sank to his knees, his stomach rumbling. He looked at Twelve. “You’re half right. As far as I can tell Jared and Gerald are abolitionists while Mrs. Padalecki doesn’t think of slaves as anything more than luxury goods. I don’t know Jeff well enough to say.”

“I do,” Twelve muttered. “He has no problem using me.”

Jensen paused a trickle of fear running down his spine. “Well that would explain why Jared told me not to be alone with Jeff.”

“You mean he hasn’t had you yet?” Twelve’s voice trembled. “That’s certainly not what he told my master.”

A door opened at the far end of the narrow room. Almost in unison the other slaves put their hands behind their backs and lowered their foreheads to the floor. Jensen hastily followed suit.

A white clad woman pushed a cart into the room. Jensen fought disappointment as he smelled the distinctive aroma of slave porridge. He had hoped he had left that behind forever.

The attendant set a bowl near his head and a precisely measured ladle of the gray glop the government deemed to contain complete nutrition for slaves plopped into it. A small bottle of water was placed next to the half-full bowl. She didn’t give Jensen a spoon.

Once everyone had been served, the server exited through the same door. Everyone straightened up into a standard kneeling posture. Jensen watched the others and frowned as he saw them eating by holding the bowl up to their faces and shoveling the greasy mush into their mouths with their fingers. Jensen didn’t see any alternative so he used the same method to consume his lunch. The porridge was every bit as tasteless and unpleasant in texture as he remembered.

He grimaced as the last slimy bite slithered down his throat. The aroma was deceivingly redolent of maple syrup although the substance itself had no discernible flavor. Jensen had once eaten paste in that long-ago life of childhood before he was sold for debt. This stuff pretty much matched the paste for lack of taste but it was thinner and oily.

He drained his bottle of water. He glanced around and noticed that a couple of the others had brought additional small food items with them. They didn’t offer to share and no one asked.

“I thought I left that nasty glop behind when Mr. Padalecki bought me,” Jensen grumbled. All eyes turned toward him.

“What do you eat at home?” Precious asked.

Jensen realized suddenly that he might be getting into a sensitive area and wished he had just kept his mouth shut. “Uh, I eat whatever Jared eats.”

Twelve shook his head. “Man you have to be lying. Jeff told my master that they keep you in a standard slave crate and he has a key.”

Angry heat flushed through Jensen at that thought.

“Jared would never make me be crated and I never have been. Jeff has never touched me and Gerald has forbidden him. I am treated almost like a family member.” As Jensen calmed he cautioned himself against sounding like he was boasting. Probably too late.

Twelve snorted. “Why would you get such special treatment? You know if it gets reported that the Padalecki’s aren’t controlling you the Department of Slave Affairs can forcibly remove you from them.”

Jensen did know that and cursed himself for opening his big mouth.

“You’re right, Twelve. I am a liar,” Jensen said easily. 

Twelve stared at him and Jensen noticed that Precious watched Twelve. The others averted their eyes.

“What do we do with the bowls and the empty water bottles?” Jensen asked. 

The spindly blond spoke up again. “Just leave them. The cafeteria slave will pick them up after we’re gone.”

Jensen left the lunch room when the door unlocked and easily found the regular student cafeteria which was noisy with clashing plates and laughter and the sound of enthusiastic conversation. He knelt to one side and waited. Twelve joined him, but did not speak.

 

Jared and Jensen: Christmas of Jensen’s first year with Jared

The Slave Depot training facility had never bothered with seasonal celebrations, leaving Jensen quite unprepared for the tumult of Christmas with the Padaleckis. He marveled over every little thing and quite happily helped decorate the house and put up the tree. The two household servants grumbled and muttered about Mistress Sherri’s haughty and inconsistent demands. Jensen didn’t like staying home so much and neither did Jared. They escaped every chance they got, but Sherri had a continuous string of parties and dinners that Jared was expected to attend with Jensen kneeling at his feet. 

Two weeks into the six week long hiatus from school, Jensen realized why Sherri had embarked on such an ambitious social adventure. Every night a different family was entertained at dinner. Each family had a daughter who would be age-appropriate for Jared. After he noticed this, Jensen approached each evening with increasing glumness. He told himself that he didn’t want Jared like that and it really was time for Jared to consider dating. He told himself that what bothered him the most was his resentment about Sherri trying to select Jared’s girlfriend for him. 

As time wore on, Jensen found himself kneeling rigidly at Jared’s side during these dinners, grinding his teeth in anger as Sherri marketed one girl after another to his apparently clueless master. If Jared entered into a conversation with the girl and seemed to like her, Jensen’s stomach twisted with what he eventually recognized as jealousy. His mood deteriorated to the point that he could no longer hide it.

 

Jared took Jensen with him when he went Christmas shopping. Jensen remained silent during the hunting and gathering Jared did, but since that’s how Jensen usually behaved in public, his sullen attitude apparently didn’t set off any alarm bells for Jared. Jensen couldn’t keep his mind on what they were doing. He kept envisioning Jared marrying and leaving Jensen behind with the Padaleckis as a household slave. He shuddered. Sherri would sell him immediately.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jared asked when Jensen ran into him for the third time in twenty minutes.

Jensen sighed. “Nothing.”

Jared drew Jensen to one side, near a Starbuck’s.

“Don’t tell me nothing’s wrong. I can see it all over you.”

Jensen stared mulishly at the floor.

“Look…I can’t make things better if I don’t know what’s wrong, can I?”

Jensen shook his head. Flushing with embarrassment, he raised his head.

“Your mother.”

Jared snorted. “What did she do to you? I’m afraid to even think…” Jared stopped suddenly, a dark cloud passing over his features. “She didn’t promise you would go somewhere with Jeff, did she?”

“No.” Jensen tilted his head, curious. He decided to test Jared’s knowledge of Jeff’s attitude toward slaves. “Why would that be a bad thing?”

Jared swallowed hard. “Because Jeff isn’t like me and Dad. He’s more like Mom. He would use you, and share you, and think nothing of it.”

Jensen paled. That confirmed what Twelve had already told him. Jensen gave up the thought that he was totally safe in the Padalecki household. “Jeff’s hardly ever home.”

“Just the same, stay away from him; don’t go in his room without me, and if his friend Wayne comes over, find me and stay with me.”

“Okay.”

“But that’s not what’s bothering you. So, spill.”

Jensen squirmed. “I…you do know your mother is trying to fix you up with a girl, don’t you?”

Jared grinned. “I’d have to be blind not to. Wait…you’re not trying to tell me you’re jealous, are you?”

Jensen hung his head. “I don’t know. All I know is that I don’t like the thought of it.”

Jared nodded. “I don’t either. Believe me; if I ever do decide to date some girl, it won’t be one my mother picks for me, okay? Between you and me, I don’t think I like girls enough to want to explore any kind of relationship with one.”

Jensen’s heart lightened. He growled at himself. He wasn’t attracted to his master. He didn’t want Jared like that. But something had changed…


	9. Nine

Christmas morning arrived at last. Jared woke Jensen up, springing out of bed to take a shower. Jensen scowled and looked at the clock. What the fuck was Jared getting up at 5am for?

Jensen grumpily pulled on a pair of jeans and a worn sweatshirt that used to belong to Jared. Well, technically, it still did since Jensen couldn’t own property, he reminded himself. He would wait to shower until after breakfast. Jared bustled back into the room and shook his wet head at Jensen, showering him with droplets of water, laughing as Jensen jerked away, frowning.

Jared burrowed back into his closet, nearly losing his towel in the process. He pulled out a large shopping bag and plopped it on the bed next to Jensen. Jensen supposed it was full of last minute gifts Jared had waited to put under the tree. Jared climbed into boxers and a pair of jeans and went over to the mirror and began messing with his hair, feigning indifference. Jensen ignored the bag and waited. Finally Jared grew impatient and turned gesturing at the bag.

“Merry Christmas!”

Jensen stared at Jared. The bag was filled to overflowing with wrapped packages of different shapes and sizes. A lump rose in his throat. 

“I…are these for me?”

Jared beamed. “Yep. I didn’t really want Mom to know I bought you gifts. She would have a cow. But I really wanted to so…there!” Jared flapped his hand at the bag.

Jensen reached for the bag tentatively, and then dropped his hands. “I didn’t get you anything.”

“Yeah, dummy, I know that. How could you? That’s something I need to set up for you. You need some money of your own.”

“Is that even allowed,” Jensen squeaked.

“Sure. I mean, Mimi has to be able to pay for the groceries and deliveries. She has her own household account. I’m sure of that. Devon’s slave goes shopping for both of them. Anyway, don’t worry. Just open them.” Jared bounced with excitement.

Jensen grinned at him. It was nearly impossible not to like Jared. He reached into the bag and fished out a small package. He ripped into the paper and gasped. There was a thick gold link bracelet. “Jared, is this real?”

“Of course. You think I would get you something cheap?” Jared’s indignation burned all over his face.

“But…I’m just a slave. Is it wise for me to have something like this?”

Jared laughed. “What you have is a reflection on me and the fam. So, if you look well-taken care of, we look prosperous. Put it on.”

Jensen put on the heavy bracelet and admired the effect of the thick links embracing his slender wrist. Stunned he beamed at Jared. 

“Open the rest of them!”

Jensen hastily complied. He marveled when he had finished. He had an e-reader, several sweaters, an earring and a gift certificate for piercing, four gift cards and some leather gloves. Overwhelmed he ducked his head to hide the tears clinging to his lashes.

Jared sat down next to him and slung an arm around him casually. Jensen turned to face him.

“I’ve haven’t had Christmas gifts since I left my family. And I’ve certainly never had things this nice before, or ever expected to. Thank you.”

Jared hugged him close. “I just hope you enjoy them. I’m sure my Mom wallowed in excess for me so she could impress Dad’s family, while they’re here. I want you to know that you’re family, too…at least to me and Dad.”

“How did you know I wanted an earring?”

Jared stood up and stretched. “I’ve seen you looking at Satchel Morris’ earring.”

Jensen chuckled. “What made you think I wasn’t just looking at Satchel Morris?”

Jared pouted exaggeratedly. “With me right here? You could have this and you’re going to look at Satchel Morris?”

Jensen laughed and hit Jared square in the face with a pillow. Jared pretended rage and jumped on Jensen, pushing him down and walloping him with the pillow until they both collapsed in giggles. Jared slumped down on Jensen and they smiled at each other lazily. Suddenly, like the flick of a switch, heat rose between them and Jared rolled on top of Jensen, holding him down and staring into his eyes. Jensen swallowed hard and waited for panic to roll over him. Instead of panic a searing tide of lust washed through his body and he found himself clutching at Jared and arching into him.

“Jensen?”

Jensen stopped, shame rolling through him. Give me a few presents and I become a whore? Is that what he thinks now? Jensen shoved weakly at Jared, panting with frustration.

Jared grabbed Jensen’s face and forced the boy to look him in the eye.

“Jensen? I want you to know that this is okay.” Jared snorted. “Way, way, more than okay.”

Jensen gulped. He felt the long (long) line of Jared’s hard cock pressed into his belly. His own erection throbbed painfully against his zipper, trapped in a painfully awkward position. Confusion boiled through his brain. He didn’t want this, did he? Seemed like he did. But why now? Was it really the gifts? Or was it the kindness? The dignity of being treated like a valued friend? He had always thought Jared was painfully attractive; he had been lying to himself about how he felt. Who wouldn’t want six feet plus of chiseled boy? He cleared his throat and stared into Jared’s sincere gaze. He couldn’t do this. Panic choked him. He saw the disappointment and hurt in Jared’s eyes and searched for the right words.

A loud knock on the bedroom door sent them scrambling for covering.

“Jared? Breakfast is ready.”

“Be right there, Mom,” Jared said. They listened to her receding footsteps and then Jared buried his face in a pillow with a low moan. He rolled until he could look at Jensen with one eye. “Later? I think we have something to talk about.”

Jensen mock-pouted, his face on fire, and nodded slowly. “Nothing’s changed.” Jensen’s heart lurched with the lie. Something had changed. He glanced quickly at Jared’s mouth feeling a nearly tidal pull toward his master”

“Okay,” Jared smiled. “Remember I would never try anything like that if I didn’t believe you were on board with it.”

Jensen grinned sheepishly. “I need to have time to think. Go do Christmas. I don’t know what to do about breakfast. Your mom specifically didn’t include me.”

Jared frowned. “I’ll bring something up to you before we get too bogged down in opening presents. You should just come on down with me like usual.”

Jensen shook his head. “This is a special occasion. I don’t think she would be pleased at all for you to insist or even suggest that I be included. Especially with your father’s family here.”

Jared nodded thoughtfully. “If I think it’s okay, I’ll come get you.”

Jensen sighed. “I won’t hold my breath.”

The talk never happened.


	10. Ten

Jared and Jensen: Sophomore year

Jensen enjoyed his freshman year so much that he longed for school to start again. He needed the break from the constant alone-time with Jared. Desire continually battled with fear. Jared never pushed him or hurt him. Jensen yearned to trust him. More than that, he thought that he might die from blue balls. He dreamed about Jared touching him and kissing him. It didn’t help much that every time he woke up Jared was usually wrapped around him with his morning wood pressed up against Jensen’s ass. Jensen finally had to face the fact that he had developed very strong feelings for his master.

Saturdays were the worst. Jensen didn’t really have an excuse to bound out of bed and run for the shower. He usually woke up at the same time he always did on school days and suffered from ever-increasing arousal until Jared woke up, sometimes hours later. Jared would hug him and kiss him on the back of the neck and then let him go without a word or any attempt at persuading Jensen to give him more. Jensen didn’t know if he would be able to refuse if Jared did. Worse, Jensen didn’t know if he still wanted to refuse.

 

Jensen had completed the first year of high school without any undue attention and no tense encounters. Even the other boys on the basketball team accepted him as a full member of the team. Jensen ignored the grudge Twelve seemed to foster against him. He spent most of his lunch breaks talking to Precious and to the bitter thin blond boy, who, he learned, was called Useless. Jensen cringed inside when he heard that name, but Useless seemed resigned to it. 

One day, Twelve wasn’t in the lunch room and a new, younger boy knelt nervously on the floor padding.

“Who are you,” Precious asked him.

“I’m Thirteen.”

That information was greeted with contemplative silence. 

Jensen asked, “So you belong to Wayne?”

“Yes,” the boy blushed. He seemed very young to Jensen.

“How old are you?”

“Fourteen.”

Precious lifted one eyebrow and smoothed her long red hair back over her ears. Jensen had learned that she did that when she was about to say something serious.

“What happened to Twelve?”

Thirteen looked at the floor. “I’m not sure.”

Jensen sighed. “What have you heard? Do the household slaves know where he is?”

Thirteen swallowed and looked up at Jensen. “They say that Wayne sold him to a medical supply house.”

Jensen’s gorge rose. He had never developed a friendship with Twelve, but no one deserved that.

“Which one?” Jensen asked. Maybe Wayne had sold him to be a warehouse slave or something. But Jensen didn’t think Wayne would sell Twelve that cheaply. Slaves for harvest brought a great deal more money than slaves for labor.

“I think St. Swithin’s,” Thirteen said, focusing on the carpet once again.

Tears rose in Jensen’s eyes. The same place Slave Depot did business with. “I guess you know what happened to him there.”

Thirteen nodded slowly. 

A deadly pall fell on the small group of slaves as they pictured Twelve being taken for harvest. Jensen shuddered. Maybe Wayne didn’t understand what he was doing. How could he have lived with Twelve for the last two years, had sex with him, spent every waking moment with him and then consign him to the trash heap for money? Jensen pushed his bowl away, appetite destroyed. Suddenly he wondered if there had really been thirteen slaves in Wayne’s hands over the years. That would mean he didn’t keep any of them for very long. Did he sell all of them to be slaughtered? No one spoke the remainder of the lunch break.

 

This year, the period after lunch was reserved as a study session. Students could either sign in at their assigned classroom or at the library. Jensen enjoyed the atmosphere of the library. Jared usually went there with him, but today he had to work on a class project for American History. He had been assigned to a group that didn’t include Jensen. Jensen’s group had already completed their project. Jensen wavered uncertainly about whether or not to go to the classroom with Jared or to the library. The novelty of actually being alone caused him to ask Jared if he minded if Jensen went to the library instead.

After a moment, Jared nodded. “I guess it’s safe enough. Try to sit where the librarian can see you, though.”

Jensen nodded and walked through the halls to the library, feeling naked and vulnerable without Jared at his side. Swallowing his misgivings, Jensen took his usual seat near the periodical room at the very back of the large library. 

Instead of sorting through his school material, Jensen stared out the window thinking about Twelve. He was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice the four seniors surrounding his chair until it was too late to run. Jolted from his reverie when he finally became aware that he wasn’t alone, Jensen tried to stand up, only to be shoved to the floor. He rolled to look at his attackers. Jeff, Wayne, Devon and a boy he didn’t know stood glowering down at him.

“Don’t make a sound, whore, or I’ll kill you where you lay,” Jeff hissed. “You’ve gotten above your station and it’s time you remember what you are. My little brother is too soft to appropriately discipline you it looks like. So, we’re going to remind you, just what you are.”

As his heart seized up in his chest, Jensen looked vainly toward the front of the library. He didn’t see the librarian or anyone else. He opened his mouth to scream, and the unknown boy slapped duct tape over his lips.

Oh God. They’re going to rape me. I should have told Jared how much I want him. They’re stealing my first time from him. From us.

Jensen thought about resisting. Then he remembered the film they had shown once a month at the Slave Depot training facility. It was a documentary on what could be done with disobedient slaves. Owners across the country had done everything from torture, to castration, to burning out vocal chords, to cutting off limbs. This was entirely their right. These boys could do anything they wanted if Jared wasn’t there to say no. Even kill him.

Wayne and Devon picked him up as Jeff opened the door to the periodical storage area. Jensen had never seen anyone ever enter that room and fear clawed at his gut, as he tried not to struggle. He thought for a minute he might vomit and he knew he would choke on it. He violently suppressed the urge. Devon produced a pair of handcuffs and a length of rope from his backpack as well as a ball gag. 

The four boys picked him up and bent him over a narrow table, cuffing his hands around one of the legs. Devon ripped the duct tape off his mouth and forced the ball gag between his lips. Jensen thought about fighting it and decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to make them mad. Then they stripped him.

“Be careful with his clothes,” Jeff cautioned, “I don’t want Jared to believe this slut when he tells him what happened.”

Devon smirked. “Why do you care what Jared believes? He can’t hurt you.”

Jeff frowned. “He could tell Dad. I’m supposed to get a car next week for my birthday. I don’t want that fucked up.”

The unknown boy looked startled. “Your dad would punish you for playing with this piece of property?”

Jeff, realizing he was getting into dangerous territory, hastily blurted out, “Well, just because it belongs to Jared. Dad doesn’t like it when we use things without permission, Andy.”

Jensen flinched as they pulled off his boxers and he lay across the table completely naked and vulnerable. He cried, the tears running down his nose and dripping onto the floor. One of the seniors pushed his legs far apart.

“Devon, do we have something to cut this rope?” Jeff asked.

Jensen wished he could see. But then when they tied his ankles to opposite table legs, spreading him wide open, he was glad they couldn’t see his face. He determined just to take it. He wouldn’t let them see him break. After all they had class soon; they couldn’t spend very much time tormenting him.

“Did you remember to get the excuse from Trimble’s bitch?” Andy asked.

Jensen heard paper rustling. His spirits plummeted even lower.

Jeff said, “I got one for each of us. We’ve got over ninety minutes. Who brought lube?”

Jensen’s body clenched up. Ninety minutes. He struggled uselessly in his bonds. Someone struck him hard across the buttocks.

“Be still bitch. It will be time to squirm soon enough.” 

Jensen decided he hated Jeff. 

Someone stuck a cold, wet finger roughly up his ass.

“God, he’s tight. You’d think he was a virgin,” Devon remarked.

“Fat chance. Jared can’t keep his paws off him.”

Jensen was stunned at the pain produced just by the introduction of one finger. While in training he had become used to the burn and stretch of foreign objects used to open him. But that had been over a year ago. Since that time, Jensen had scrupulously avoided even thinking about that time and what he had endured. Well, at least while he was awake. Long before he had even begun to adjust, two and then three fingers were jammed inside him, forcing his channel open and increasing the steady flow of tears. Jensen’s head began to swim and he realized that he wasn’t breathing. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” Devon demanded.

“Putting on a condom. Or do you want to fuck him while he’s full of my jizz?” Jeff asked.

Jensen tensed up even further, praying desperately for somebody to stop them.

“Yuck. No, no, no. You’re right. My girlfriend sucks this cock. I certainly don’t want your spunk all over it when I meet her in the parking lot after school,” Andy said, laughing.

And then Jeff thrust into him, bottoming out with one cruel slam of his hips. Jensen’s world turned black around the edges as incredible pain ripped through him. Jeff rode him hard, slamming Jensen’s thighs against the edge of the table with every lunge. Snot exploded out of Jensen’s nose, and he sobbed as best he could with the ball gag in his mouth. Slobber, tears and snot rained steadily onto the floor as Jeff pounded him.

“Oh my God…he’s so fucking tight. So good,” Jeff moaned.

“Hurry up. We have time to go twice each if you just get to it.”

Twice? I have to go through this eight times? Jensen wailed around the gag and his tormenters laughed.

By the time it was Jeff’s turn again, it gotten a little easier to take. Something dripped down the back of his legs that he hoped was lube and not blood. Jeff was even rougher this time. It seemed to Jensen that they were competing to see who could hurt him the worst. He lay limply across the table, waves of pain scorching up his back and smoldering deep inside him. He begged God to let him pass out, but each fresh violation brought him back to full consciousness. 

“What time is it?” Andy asked.

“We just have time to clean up and get to class after Devon finishes,” Jeff said. 

“What about cleaning him up?” Andy asked. “I mean, he’s really bleeding.”

“That’s his problem,” Jeff said. “Hurry up, Devon.”

Devon sped up his strokes and Jensen experienced yet another spike in the level of his pain. Finally the boy grunted and stuttered to a stop. He pulled out and Jensen waited for the pain to begin to subside. He waited in vain. They untied and uncuffed him and removed the ball gag. Packing up, the four left him lying naked across the table without a backward glance.

 

Jensen lay still and mourned his lost innocence and berated himself for being too stubborn to acknowledge his love for Jared. His ridiculous, useless pride had cost them both. He sobbed harder as he felt the spate of fluid running down his legs increase from a trickle to a steady stream. They had really hurt him. He wondered if anybody ever died from being raped. Standing up and getting dressed seemed impossible. But he had to. He couldn’t be late to class or be perceived as causing any trouble or they wouldn’t let him continue to attend. He had already missed one class with no excuse. 

He managed to slide his upper body up until he could wriggle off the table. His legs wouldn’t hold him when he tried to stand, so he crawled to the pile his rapists had made of his clothing. He looked behind him and saw that he had left a trail of blood across the floor. He saw a roll of paper towels on an upper shelf and used the bookcase to brace himself as he stretched up to get to it. 

He stuffed his boxers with paper towels and dressed with trembling hands. The pain had finally lessened to a hot, dull, insistent throb, deep inside his abdomen. His hole gaped and twitched, and it felt like his guts could fall right out.

Shouldering his back pack, he staggered into the hall as it cleared, classrooms vacuuming students out of the corridor. Fortunately his next class was on this corridor although it was at the end of the hall. He limped through the door just as the tardy bell rang. He saw Jared start a relieved smile and then stop. Jared’s face crumpled and he slapped one hand over his mouth. Shit. I forgot about what my face must look like.

The class was Bio Chemistry. They had Mr. Browning again this year. He struggled to walk normally to his desk but he knew he failed miserably. He sank into his seat, biting his lip as his pain escalated when his weight came to rest on his ass. Mr. Browning walked up to him and crouched beside him. The classroom fell unnaturally quiet. There was not even the sound of a page turning.

“Jensen. Can you come outside into the hallway with me and Jared?”

Jensen felt hysterical laughter bubble up in his throat and squelched it back. “I honestly don’t know, sir. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Mr. Browning smiled at him gently. “Clearly you’ve been hurt. I need to know if you need medical attention.”

Jensen nodded wearily. “I probably do.”

Browning stood. “Why didn’t you just go on to the school infirmary?”

Jensen stared at him.

“Oh, right. Well, I’m going to give Jared a note for both of you. Jared, why don’t you take Jensen to the infirmary?”

“Yes, sir.” Jared stood next to Jensen and whispered. “Let me help you stand up.”

Jensen unfolded from his desk, but he couldn’t help but let a small sound escape. He looked up and saw tears in Jared’s eyes. He looked quickly away. He let Jared support him back down the hall past the library. They came to the stairs. Students were forbidden the use of the staff elevator and they had no key for it. The infirmary was up one floor. Putting weight back onto his legs turned the dull pain into a raging inferno.

“I can’t,” Jensen said, looking hopelessly at the stair case.

“Who did this to you? “I was so worried. Where have you been?” Jared’s voice trembled. In fact, Jensen noticed, Jared’s whole body trembled.

Jensen thought about claiming he fell and then figured Jared wasn’t that stupid.

“Better you don’t know.”

“I can guess. My first guess is Jeff and Wayne.”

Jensen decided to lie. “Whoever it was, they grabbed me from behind. I never got a look at them.”

Jared snorted. “We’ll talk about this again, later. Don’t think I believe that story for a minute.”

Then Jared picked Jensen up and carried him up the stairs. Jensen was in too much pain to protest or feel any embarrassment. 

“Will the infirmary even treat me?” Jensen asked.

“If not, they can call a vet ambulance for us,” Jared said.

“One thing’s for sure. I’m not going to make basketball practice this afternoon.”

Jensen steadfastly stuck with proclaiming his ignorance of the identity of his attackers. Jared did not push for answers. He already knew.


	11. Eleven

Jensen had to be kept in the veterinary treatment kennel for eight days. After he was released, Jared became very careful around him. Jensen was silent most of the time. Jared missed his beaming grin and his wicked sense of humor, but had no idea how to help Jensen or what he needed. He kept his hands to himself, afraid that any kind of touch would put Jensen back in that periodical room. As time went on Jensen withdrew even more. They slept in the same bed, but stayed carefully on their own sides.

After three weeks of this, Jared woke up in the middle of the night from an extremely graphic sex dream featuring Jensen on his knees. He blinked blearily around wondering what could have woken him. Then he heard Jensen’s breathing. Irregular. Hitching. Jared carefully rolled toward his slave.

“Jensen?”

Nothing.

Jared stretched out a trembling hand. Jensen was obviously sobbing. In the moonlight streaming through the window, Jared could clearly see Jensen’s shoulders shaking. 

Damn it.

Jared scooted closer and put one hand on Jensen’s shoulder. The boy froze, but he couldn’t hide the sound of his weeping. Jared swept Jensen up in his arms, tired of being careful. His heart ached and he felt like a complete failure. He had discussed getting some counseling for Jensen with his father who thought it might be a good idea. An appointment had been made, but they couldn’t get him in until next month.

“Jensen?”

Jared slowly turned Jensen toward him. The boy clutched at the edge of the mattress and Jared sighed.

“I know you’re crying. Why are you hiding from me?”

Jensen rolled slowly over to face Jared. Jared reached over Jensen’s body and turned on the bedside lamp, hugging Jensen into his chest in the process. He was astonished when Jensen wrapped his arm around him and clung to him, fine tremors running throughout his body.

Jared lay holding Jensen, soothing him with gentle pats of his hands. He had no idea what to do next. He was afraid to say anything for fear he would make matters worse. He kissed the top of Jensen’s head and the boy suddenly cried out, the sound approaching a wail.

“What is it? Please talk to me!” Jared felt his eyes prickle as his own tears threatened to spill over.

Jensen took a deep shuddering breath. “I’m ruined.”

Jared felt Jensen’s words like a spear to the heart. “What do you mean?”

Jensen sobbed and Jared pulled him still closer.

“I was starting to want…I mean I had almost decided…”Jensen trailed off.

Jared’s body warmed as he thought he understood where Jensen meant to go.

“Are you…” Jared cleared his throat, “Gosh this is hard. Are you trying to tell me that you thought we…”

Jensen nodded and pressed his head into Jared’s shoulder. “Now you won’t want me, anymore.” 

Jared could barely hear the muffled statement. Jensen began sobbing in earnest.

Jared’s heart broke. “Jensen…why would you think such a thing? You were attacked through no fault of your own. And even if you did decide you wanted someone else, why would that make you ruined?”

Jensen drew back, the moonlight illuminating his suddenly blazing eyes. “I didn’t want them! I didn’t! I didn’t do anything to make them think I wanted that!”

Jared sighed. “That’s the point. They didn’t care what you wanted. It didn’t matter. It was only about what they wanted and about bringing both you and me down a peg.”

“I don’t understand.”

Jared pulled himself up in bed and put his back to the headboard. He cradled Jensen’s head in his lap. For once this physical closeness did not immediately spark an erection. Only tender and protective emotions possessed him in that moment. He ran his fingers through Jensen’s hair as he tried to put words to his intuition.

“They…my brother and Wayne…”

“I never said it was them.”

“I know. But it was. Wasn’t it? Don’t worry I won’t do anything with the information unless you decide you want me to. But it was that group? Jeff, Wayne, Devon and Andy?”

Jensen slowly nodded and buried his head in Jared’s thigh. Jared kept mindlessly drawing soothing patterns on Jensen’s back as he continued thinking out loud.

“They think that I feel somehow superior to them because of you and the way I treat you. You have to know how gorgeous you are. Jeff is jealous and Wayne is just a dick. That’s why Dad didn’t give you to Jeff; he didn’t trust him with you. That made Jeff mad. But what made him even madder is…he knows it’s true. The minute he got his hands on you he would have called all of his friends to share. That’s what they do. Because Jeff hasn’t had a slave to share he’s felt like a beggar or something. This new guy, Andy?”

Jensen nodded.

“Well, Andy’s dad is the state senator. I think they were showing off for him.”

Jensen thought about that for a while. “It seemed like they were trying to compete to see who could hurt me the most.”

“Yeah. Dominance crap. Alpha male bullshit. Now…how does any of that reflect badly on you?”

Jensen turned his face away. “I wanted it to be you. If it was going to be anybody at all I wanted it to be you.”

The rush of emotion sweeping over Jared paralyzed him for a moment. He slid back down in the bed and turned Jensen’s head gently so he could face him.

“So did I, Jensen. And your first real time will be with me. Whenever you’re ready. If you ever are. I want that, too. This…incident…doesn’t count. You didn’t want it or ask for it. When you do…”

Jensen grabbed and pulled until he had rolled Jared on top of him. He clung to Jared as if the physical contact was all that was keeping him alive. “You would still want me?”

“I’ll never stop. Jensen…I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you.”

Jensen moaned. “I think that’s what I feel for you, too. All I could think about while it was happening was how it would hurt you.”

“It does. It hurts me that I didn’t protect you. That you had to go through that alone. But I’m here now and we know better than to be separated. If I have to stay away from all the social functions, I will. It’s not like I’ll be giving up anything I enjoy or want anyway. I don’t think I could stand it if you got hurt like that again.” Jared’s voice grew thick as tears gathered. The image of Jensen staggering into class, pale as snow, his eyes red and swollen with strap marks on his face from the gag would never stop haunting him.


	12. Twelve

Jensen and Jared: Coming Together

After that evening, all Jensen’s walls came down. He snuggled with Jared at night and sat close enough to touch whenever he could. Jared felt like a hand grenade with the pin pulled. He felt strongly that Jensen should be the one to make the first move; otherwise he would never know if Jensen really wanted him or only felt obligated to him. 

Late one Friday afternoon, the boys found themselves in the unique position of being alone in the house. With Gerald away on business, Jeff at a party at Wayne’s and Sherri gone to a charity gala at her club, Jared’s tension ratcheted higher. Jared sat in the den watching a rerun of Terms of Engagement. 

 

Jensen finished his homework and wandered into the room slowly. He sank slowly to his knees and put his chin on Jared’s knee. It gratified him to notice an immediate change in Jared’s breathing. He felt powerful and in control. He already ached to touch and be touched. His mind flitted back to the assault in the library. His relationship with Jared had absolutely nothing in common with that horror, he told himself sternly.

“Jensen?”

Jensen took a deep breath and peered at Jared through his long eyelashes. “I’m ready.”

Jared sat up and turned off the television. “Ready? As in READY?”

Jensen nodded. “I’m not ready for everything, but I want to try. I want us to be an us.

“Uh…Jared remarked eloquently. Jensen watched the front of Jared’s jeans swell and he licked his lips. Jared groaned. “Well, would you be more comfortable upstairs?”

Jensen grinned. “Sure.” He stood up and took Jared by the hand. Jared had to stop to adjust himself before he could walk and Jensen chuckled. Jared gave him a dark look. Jensen ran away and darted up the stairs, Jared hot on his heels.

They stumbled into the bedroom and stood staring at each other.

“How do we do this?” Jared asked.

Jensen smiled. “I think we should start slow. How about kissing me?”

Jared reached out and pulled Jensen into his arms, and Jensen nestled into the solid warmth of his master’s arms and chest. His breath came shallow and quick. Jared brushed Jensen’s long hair back from his face and lowered his lips to Jensen’s. Jensen had heard the metaphor of sparks flying to describe arousal. Now he knew what that meant. Sharp electric zings spread from his lips straight to his cock. He melted into Jared as his legs grew unsteady from the force of his reaction.

Jared staggered back and managed to sit on the bed. He pulled Jensen up into his lap and they devoured each other. Jensen knew that Jared had never kissed anyone before. Jensen had gone through extensive training but it had focused on just the mechanics. He found himself lost in trying to get close enough to Jared. He wriggled and gasped as he licked his way into his master’s mouth, tasting the Coke Zero and Oreos his lover had just finished as an after-school snack. 

His mind turned off and he became a creature of pure physical sensation. He pulled futilely at Jared’s polo shirt until Jared gently removed his hands and slipped out of the shirt. Jensen immediately fell into Jared’s bare chest, mouthing at his neck and running his hands down Jared’s sides. 

“Jensen...take off your clothes.”

Jensen, loathe to stop touching Jared, struggled out of his shirt. He toed his shoes off and peeled his jeans and boxer briefs down in one impatient motion. Then he began struggling with the button on Jared’s jeans. Jared snickered and batted his hands away.

“Just a second. We’ll get there.”

Jensen came back to reality long enough to feel some embarrassment for his loss of control. But Jared stood up and stripped off his denims and Jensen saw his erect cock for the first time. He could practically feel his eyes dilate. Jared’s erection stood straight up, curved against his belly, already a dark purple. Jensen moaned and reclined, making grabby hands at Jared. Jared laid full length on Jensen and both boys groaned. Jensen’s cock slid alongside Jared’s and the pleasure made him arch his back, trying to intensify the friction.

“Give me your hand.”

Jensen unhesitatingly gave Jared his right hand. Jared gathered their straining members together and Jensen wrapped his hand around them along with Jared’s. They began a fast paced rhythm and before long, Jensen came hard, spraying them both with hot semen. Jared followed almost immediately. They collapsed, muscles trembling into a heap on the bed.

Jensen started laughing. He laughed long and hard and soon Jared laughed helplessly along with him.

“What…is…it?” Jared managed to squeak out.

Jensen grinned and giggled. “I was afraid of this!”

They collapsed into another bout of hysteria.

 

 

Jared and Jensen: Summer between sophomore and junior year

School let out with all the relief that situation brings with it. Jensen had returned to school and grimly ground away until he caught up with the class despite having missed nearly a month to recover from his assault. Jared had brought his assignments home to him and turned them in with his. Jeff and Jared were no longer speaking. The atmosphere in the house at Christmas turned tense and awkward. Sherri had once again tried the girl roulette and Jared remained pleasant and polite, but gave no more than that. He begged his father to make her stop and Gerald had only sighed and said he had to pick his battles. Jared would just have to endure her matchmaking efforts for the time-being.

Jeff kept trying to catch Jensen alone and the pair lived in a state of continual hyper-vigilance. Especially when Jeff had friends over. Jared contrived to always take Jensen somewhere else until Wayne and Devon and Andy were gone. The whole upstairs hallway would reek of sex and blood when Jared thought they had gone and felt safe to return. Once they had to climb out the window when the whole crew arrived unexpectedly when Gerald and Sherri were both out.

Their physical relationship progressed very slowly. They contented themselves with kissing and hand jobs. Jensen could see that Jared was determined not to push Jensen. Over the months, Jensen gradually put his whole trust in Jared. He believed to his soul that Jared loved him and would do whatever it took to protect him. His attraction grew even stronger as he learned that Jared, no matter how much Jensen teased, did not lose control or try to force anything on him. The gratitude he felt for how well Jared treated him grew until he couldn’t tell anymore if what he felt was gratitude or love. 

One afternoon, Jared bustled around their room, throwing clothes at Jensen.

“Get dressed, we’re going out.”

Jensen smiled. Jared had tossed a pair of dress slacks, a dark green button down shirt and some silk socks at him.

“We must be going somewhere nice.”

Jared shot Jensen a nervous smile. “I hope you think so.”

Intrigued, Jensen dressed hurriedly and checked his hair in the mirror. Jared shifted from foot to foot. Jensen had rarely seen him so anxious.

“What is it?”

“Just, come on.” Jared bounded from the room and Jensen followed him as quickly as he could. 

Jared’s parents had given him a brand new BMW Hawk for his birthday that morning. Jensen paused once more to admire the sleek lines of the electric sports car. Jared pushed him forward. “Get in. Please.”

Jensen chuckled, but obeyed.

Jared headed out of town and took the interstate west toward Dallas. Jensen couldn’t suppress his curiosity.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

“Well how long will it take to get there?”

Jared relaxed slightly. “Nosy. I’m not going to tell you.”

Jensen mock-pouted. “I’ll just go to sleep then.”

Jared responded to that statement by turning on the radio, filling the car with the insistent sounds of the newest Rock Slave hit.

Jensen glared at him and then had a better idea. He began singing the filthy lyrics as loudly as he could.  
When he got to the verse about how much he loved the feel of his master’s cock in his throat, Jared swerved off the road, taking an exit about twenty miles per hour too fast. It gave them a chance to really appreciate the car’s cornering ability. Jared drove into the little town and pulled down the first alley he could find. Jensen flailed about, helpless with laughter.

Jared turned a smoldering look on Jensen and Jensen quieted. Jared said, “You know I’m only flesh and blood and there’s only so much teasing I can stand.”

Jensen smiled. “Let me show you what they taught me in Cock-Sucking 101.”

Jared flushed red and squirmed. “They did not call it that.”

Jensen unlatched his seat belt and maneuvered around the faux stick shift. He leaned into Jared’s side and nuzzled into his neck as he unbuckled Jared’s belt. “No. they called it “Oral Stimulation Techniques for use on the Male Reproductive Organ.”

 

Jared’s breath came raggedly as Jensen unzipped his pants and freed his diamond hard cock. Jensen had never imagined actually wanting to do this. But now, the thought of causing Jared to come completely undone thrilled him. He licked his lips as he looked at Jared’s long hard cock. His mouth grew strangely tender with the desire to feel the weight and heat. He lowered his head slowly and Jared moaned. 

Jensen laved the tip gently with his tongue, tasting the bitter fluid gathered at the tip. He had always hated how it had tasted before. Suddenly, the taste was arousing and precious. He progressed to licking and suckling the head. Jared made a noise halfway between a squeak and a groan. Jensen loved it. He needed to hear it again. 

He opened his mouth and throat and took Jared’s length gradually, swirling his tongue as he went. Jared uttered a high pitched sound and his hips bucked up. Jensen felt Jared’s cock expand even more and hastily swallowed around the head. Jared grabbed his hair.

“Jensen! Jensen! Oh, God!”

Jensen swallowed again and Jared convulsed. Jensen could feel the spurts hitting the sides of his throat as Jared pulsed his release into Jensen’s mouth. Jared pulled Jensen’s hair and the sharp pain went straight to his cock. He grew painfully close to coming, himself. He pulled off, and carefully cleaned Jared with his tongue. He tucked him away and refastened his trousers and belt. He looked up at Jared’s face and a bolt of desire ran through him so hard it was like being kicked in the stomach.

Jared’s eyes shone and his face was flushed. His lower lip was slightly swollen from where he had apparently been biting on it while Jensen worked. Jensen had never seen anything so beautiful. A rush of emotion removed the last barriers between them.

“Jared, God, Jared…I loved doing that.”

Jared groaned and barked a short laugh. “That’s good. Because I think I would die if you told me you hated it and never wanted to do it again.”

They looked at each other, reluctant to let the moment go.

“I really want to return the favor.”

Jensen’s cock gave a slow deliberate throb. His tutors had told him repeatedly until he apparently believed them that he could never expect to experience this pleasure. That masters never performed such acts. Clearly, that, like so much they had tried to indoctrinate into him, was so much garbage.

He fell back into his own seat, gasping for breath. Jared struggled to sit upright and then reached over and drew Jensen into a heated, but gentle kiss. As Jared reached for Jensen’s belt, just the image of Jared taking him into his mouth brought on Jensen’s own release. He cried out and arched up. Jared held him tight.

“Did you just come?”

Jensen nodded, feeling his face heat with embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”

Jared shook his head. “Damn, that’s the hottest thing I ever heard of or thought about.”

“Will you…later?”

“Try to stop me. God, I’m getting hard again just thinking about it.” Jared leaned in and stole another kiss. Jensen got totally lost in the rhythmic exchange of pressure and tongue. 

Jared suddenly swore. “God. Look at the time. We’ve got an appointment.”

Jensen sighed. “As long as I know we’re going to continue this at some point…”

Jared chuckled as he started the car and backed out of the alley. “Count on it. I think there are some wipes in the glove box.”

Jensen cleaned himself as best he could with what he could find in the car and then relaxed, carefree and content.

Jared got back on the highway and Jensen dozed off. When Jared woke him they were parked in the driveway of a modest ranch-style house in what looked to be a well-kept lower middle class neighborhood.

“Where are we?”

Jared smiled at him. “You tell me.”

Jensen frowned and looked around with more concentration. He still had no clue. Then a woman a man and a young girl came tentatively out in the yard. Jensen stared. Something about the woman…

She came closer. “Jensen?”

Jensen knew that voice on a bone deep level. “Mom?”

He was out of the car and in her arms without realizing that he was moving. The woman (his mother!) sobbed on his shoulder. Tears flowed from his eyes and then he realized that the man must be his brother, Joshua. And the girl…McKenzie. His baby sister. 

They babbled at each other and cried. Jensen hugged everybody and then hugged them again. Finally he looked around for Jared. Jared leaned against the gleaming silver car, his dimpled grin on full display. Jensen pulled himself away from his mother and went to him.

“I can never thank you enough. Is this even legal?”

Jared laughed. “I would give you anything you want. No, strictly speaking this kind of contact is discouraged, but it’s not illegal. I’m going to go see if I can find a movie. I’ll come back around nine. Is that okay?”

Jensen nodded vigorously. “But won’t that put you on the road all night driving home?”

“Dad knows where we are. He gave me a credit card and told me it would be all right to get a hotel room. So, if you want to spend the night here, I can come and get you in the morning.”

Jensen’s eyes glazed over with tears. He leaned in and whispered to Jared, “I love you. I was going to tell you later, but this seems like the right time.”

Jared’s eyes glistened suspiciously. “I think you know I love you, too.”

“Yeah, I think I get that.”

Jensen kissed Jared and then turned around to go inside with his family. They talked for hours and exchanged email addresses and phone numbers. Jensen could still remember the slave-takers prying him out of his mother’s arms on the day the court sold him for their debt. At that time they had been living in Ohio. Jensen had tried fruitlessly to track them with his limited access to the internet with no success. He wondered how Jared managed to find them.

The next day they were back on the road. Jensen no longer felt like property. He felt like the person Jared loved. He planned to demonstrate that, the first opportunity he had.

The boys became even closer after that road trip. Once Jensen found that he enjoyed giving blow-jobs, Jared talked him into exploring other areas. The first time Jared took Jensen into his mouth, Jensen thought he might die. No wonder this particular skill was so highly emphasized. They began spending every spare moment in bed, exploring one another. 

Jensen wanted to give himself to Jared fully, but he couldn’t get over his fear. Anal penetration had never even been slightly comfortable, much less pleasurable during his training. What Jeff and his friends subjected him to, made him certain that he would never give himself to anyone willingly. Who would want to experience that?

Jared never asked him. But the way he traced the rim of Jensen’s entrance and the way he loved to spoon with Jensen so that his erection slid between Jensen’s cheeks, Jensen knew that Jared wanted him.

He just wasn’t ready. They never talked about it. Jensen did research and watched quite a lot of amateur porn made by citizens, and he couldn’t deny that seemed that some men really did enjoy being fucked.

As time went on, he became ever more curious, even to the extent of fingering himself in the shower. But it just wasn’t that interesting.

 

Even so, Jensen’s life was a thousand times better than he had ever dreamed it could be. So he was shocked one day in early July when Gerald pulled him aside. He feared for a moment that his carefully maintained sense of safety and security could come crashing down. Dread mounted in his chest and throat choking him as he waited for the command to get on his knees.

“Sit down, Jensen.” Gerald said mildly.

Jensen cautiously lowered himself onto one of the leather chairs facing Gerald’ desk. “Sir?”

“I just wanted to tell you how very pleased I am with the relationship you’ve forged with Jared. He’s blossomed into a fine young man and it all centers around the care you take with each other. I made an excellent decision when I decided to give you a chance and I wanted to tell you that I would be more than proud if you were my actual son.”

Overwhelmed, Jensen floundered for a response. The truth rushed out of him. “I love Jared with all my heart, Sir. I love you, too.” His whole body flushed with heated embarrassment and he looked away.

Gerald chuckled. “Thank you, Jensen. I had hoped for that outcome. Jared loves you, too. I have to tell you something hard. I need for you to help me with something. Jared is really going to need you soon and I wanted to see if you could be there to support him.

Jensen grew as cold with fear as he had been hot with embarrassment before. “Anything.”

“I’m dying, Jensen. I had hoped that I would make it through Jared’s eighteenth birthday so I wouldn’t leave the pair of you alone with Sherri and Jeff. My doctors tell me that I only have, at most, six months left. I have inoperable spinal cancer.”

Jensen burst into tears. This was almost the worst news he could envision. He put both hands over his mouth and stared at Gerald. “We didn’t even know you were sick.”

“No one else does. Just you and me. I’ve left all of my property to Jared but he won’t be able to access it or control it until he turns eighteen. After that it will be his decision whether or not to continue to support Sherri and Jeff. Sherri has her own money. It’s not enough to keep her in the style she prefers but she won’t starve. Jeff has never even tried to get a job. Jared has worked odd jobs throughout his life and I understand he has a job at the mall this summer.”

“That’s right. He’s arranged for me to stay with Chad during his shifts.”

Gerald nodded. “Chad is a fine boy and I’m sure he can be trusted with you. Jeff needs to learn to fend for himself. I’ve given him every opportunity. I even offered him a job at my office for the summer, but he declined. At any rate, Sherri is not going to take this well. I have enlisted my brother, Jared’s Uncle Dan, to be trustee, but Sherri will be Jared’s guardian until he achieves his majority and she will make life as difficult as she can for both of you.”

Jensen nodded.

“You might want to buy extra clothing and shoes now, because I’m pretty sure Sherri will not allow Jared to spend a single dime on you after I’m gone. The school money is in a trust and there’s nothing she can do about that. But what I’m really worried about is that she could sell you. I wanted you to be aware that she would do that in a heartbeat. So, I’m going to include your deed in Jared’s trust. Your ownership will revert to him when he becomes eighteen. As long as the Trust holds, you’ll be safe.”

Jensen gulped. “So, she can’t sell me?”

“I’ll do everything I can to make that impossible. But Sherri is a shrewd and conniving woman. I don’t doubt that her spider brain will be searching for any angle to get her hands on that money, and the other assets in the trust. I just wanted to warn you. I’m so sorry. I thought I would be able to see you both safe and clear, but I can’t.”

Jensen hung his head. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because, son, I want you to tell Jared.”

Jensen looked up at him, startled.

“Why me, sir?”

“I don’t think I can bear to disappoint him. I don’t want to think what would happen to him if Sherri somehow manages to sell you.”

Jensen thought for a minute. “What if you went ahead and sold me to someone we can trust, like Chad’s father. We wouldn’t have to tell her. Then if she decides to try to sell me, she won’t be able to.”

Gerald brightened. “Yes. That could be a solution. I will speak to Chad and his father as soon as I can. Jensen, I was right to confide in you. I didn’t want to die with the possibility of Sherri harming you still hanging in the air.

Jensen shrugged. “I owe you my life and my future. Everything I have and everything I am is because of your good heart and Jared’s love.”

Gerald smiled at Jensen. “I wish you a long and happy life, Jensen. Take care of Jared.”

“Count on it.”

Jensen went upstairs where Jared grabbed him and took him out to see a movie. Jensen decided to wait to talk to Jared until they had some time. 

Gerald died in a car accident two hours later.

No sale was made. Jensen’s deed did not get transferred to the trust.


	13. Thirteen

Jared and Jensen: spring of junior year

“No!” Sherri’s eyes flashed and the corners of her mouth drew down with fury. “I will not hear you say no, one more time, Jared Padalecki. You will go to the prom. You will go to the prom with Susan Lacey. You will not embarrass me. That’s final.”

“But…” Jared tried one last time.

Sherri pointed her finger at him, shaking with ire. “What did I just say? If you don’t do this, don’t expect me to sign any of those college applications you have piled up in the kitchen for me. There are worse things I could do, as well,” Sherri continued, glaring pointedly at Jensen, who knelt motionless in the corner. “I made you an appointment at Formal Nights for a tux fitting tomorrow afternoon. Susan will be wearing a dark green dress. Plan accordingly.” Sherri swept out of Jared’s bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

Jared stood stock still in shock. Despite Gerald’ fears, this was the first time Sherri had threatened him with Jensen’s welfare. He chewed his bottom lip furiously. Susan fucking Lacey. The girl’s entire brain would fit in a pencil eraser. Her father, however, owned nearly all the chain restaurants in town and was rumored to be the next candidate for the United States Senate for the Plantation Party. So, naturally his mother had been kissing Susan’s mother’s ass. 

Jensen cleared his throat.

“What?” Jared said harshly, and then he sighed. “I’m sorry, Jensen. I hate her when she gets like this. Hell, I hate her in general, but this…” Jared raised one arm in the air and then let it drop to his side with a thud.

Jensen got up and pulled Jared into his arms. “It’s just one night. One stupid dance. Just do it. You heard her and you know what she meant.”

Jared pulled slightly away and looked into Jensen’s eyes. “I swear if she ever even thinks about selling you or giving you to Jeff, I will kill her.”

“Well, you know she has. There’s nothing she would like better than to sell me off.”

Jared shifted uncomfortably, pulling Jensen even closer. “I don’t know what’s stopping her.”

Jensen laughed. “She does want you to get into a good school. I think she has a pretty good idea how you’d feel if she sold me.”

Jared shuddered. “You act like she cares.”

Jensen nipped gently at Jared’s shoulder. “No, she doesn’t care about you. She does care about how your behavior reflects on her in the community. She needs to be able to brag about your academic and sports accomplishments.”

Jared snorted. “But Susan Lacey?”

“You can stand anything for a couple of hours.”

Jared winced. “Shut up.” Then he flashed back to the attack Jensen had weathered and hung his head. “I don’t know how you put up with me. You’ve had to live through horrible things and I’m complaining about taking a pretty girl to a dance.”

He pulled Jensen in for a kiss, intending it to be short and sweet. Instead, Jensen surged up against him with a breathy huff and heat swamped Jared’s senses. He clung to Jensen as if the boy’s body kept him alive. The kiss turned from sweet to dirty in a split second. They struggled to see who could kiss the other the most thoroughly. 

Jared clutched Jensen’s ass and ground into him, gratified by Jensen’s moan as he melted into Jared’s body. As Jared continued to grind, Jensen’s head fell back, his eyes closed and he arched up into Jared’s pelvis seeking greater friction. They sank to the floor, unable to make it the three feet to the bed on shaking legs. Jared flipped them into sixty-nine position and freed Jensen’s cock, suckling it as though he thought it would nourish him. Jensen repaid the favor and Jared’s room filled with their soft moans and cries as they sought to outdo each other in providing pleasure. Jared came first, losing his mind and forgetting what he was doing as Jensen sucked him gently through the aftershocks. 

Jensen lifted his hips slightly as a reminder and Jared returned to trying to give Jensen the strongest possible orgasm. It didn’t take long. Jared let Jensen buck up until his cock buried deep inside his throat. Then he swallowed around Jensen and managed to circle the rim of his entrance with a finger at the same time. Jensen growled as he came apart. They rolled onto their backs, panting. Jared reached out for Jensen’s hand at the same time as Jensen reached for him. For a time they stayed still, basking in their love for one another.

Finally Jensen rolled on his side, propping his head up with one arm. “So…prom. Are you going to get a hotel room?”

Jared recoiled. “Why would I want to get a hotel room for Susan Lacey?”

Jensen sighed and rolled his eyes. “Think. You can manage to make her mad enough at you to leave early, can’t you?”

“I don’t know. She’s been after me since freshman year.”

Jensen nodded. “But Devon Kennedy wants her. Part of the reason he is so nasty to us is that Susan likes you.”

“You think? Huh.” Jared thought about that for a while. “So…you think I can get them together at the prom?” He snickered. “Sticking Devon with Susan would be at least a baby step toward the revenge I owe him.”

Jensen slapped vaguely at Jared’s shoulder. “You don’t want to even think about trying to avenge me. No one would understand. I need you with me, not in jail. Promise me you’re not going to do anything stupid.”

Jared shook his head. “I know what you’re saying and why. I just can’t be that forgiving. However I certainly planned to wait until,” and he swallowed, until you are mine. “For a very long time.”

“That’s good. Anyway, if you could manage to get them together, then you and I could use the hotel room.”

Jared’s eyes widened. “What could we do in a hotel room we can’t do here?”

“God you are so Mr. Romantic.” Jensen said sarcasm oozing from every pore. “We can never really relax one-hundred percent here, because you know Jeff can hear every little thing. I really wish he had gone to college instead of taking a year off.”

Jared sat up and smiled cautiously at Jensen. “Relax enough to do what?”

Jensen waggled his eyebrows, making Jared snort.

Jensen rolled on top of Jared and pinned his hands to the carpet. “I think it’s time we took this relationship to the next level.”

Jared swallowed hard. “Are you sure? I don’t think I could stand to hurt you.”

“You won’t. I won’t let you. I had all that training. Now I want to use it. I want to be yours. Completely. And I want our first time to be free of the fear of interruption.”

They stared into one another’s eyes. 

Jared raised his head and brushed his lips across Jensen’s. “I love you.”

Jensen grinned. “I should hope so. Otherwise I would just have to pine away, with my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.”

He nuzzled Jared’s face and sat up. “So. Does that idea make the prom date a little more bearable?”

“Now I can’t wait.”

 

Once Jared agreed to the prom date, his mother subsided and left them mercifully alone. The big evening arrived and Jared and Jensen got into the limo to pick Susan up. Sherri followed them, frowning.

“Uh-oh,” Jensen whispered.

“Jared…why are you taking your boy? From what I understand you have a room for after the prom? Will things…uh, go well if you have a witness?”

Jared widened his eyes and Jensen nearly laughed. “What do you mean? We all got rooms so that we could have an after-prom party. Jensen can bartend and serve. What do you mean, a witness?” Jared cocked his head, innocence personified.

“Oh,” Sherri said, her face falling even further. “I thought you got the room so that you and Susan could get to know each other a little more intimately.

“Mom! Even though I’ve known her forever, technically this is our first date. You want me to try that with Susan Lacey on our first date?” Jared pretended confusion. 

Sherri nodded, her face lifting a little bit. “So, you do plan to go out with her again?”

“If she’ll have me,” Jared lied.

“Well…have fun, then,” Sherri gave a sort of half-wave and turned to go back in the house. Jared shut the limo door and gave the driver Susan’s address. Then he shut the privacy screen before losing it. They laughed until they cried. 

“Where’s our room?” Jensen asked.

“Where do you think? I got the penthouse suite at the Marriott and charged it to Mom. She didn’t say a word.”

Jensen batted his sinfully long eyelashes in mock seduction. “You do know how to show a boy a good time.”

“So, do you think you’ll need me at the dance, or should I wait in our room?”

“Let’s see if Susan brings Mario. If she does, I want you at the dance. Hell, I want you at the dance, anyway. I wish you were my date.”

Jensen blushed. “Yeah, me, too.”

Susan did bring Mario. On the way to the dance she regaled Jared with the story of how she found her dress in excruciating detail. She followed up with a second by second description of her trip to the hair salon. Mario looked at Jensen and slowly rolled his eyes. Jensen had to look away to keep from exploding in laughter again. 

Jared’s eyes slowly glazed over as the girl chattered on and on. She had just launched into an analysis of why she believed Sun-Kissed Almond blond rinse was superior in all ways to Sun-Kissed Wheat blond rinse when the limo pulled up at the entrance to the hotel hosting the dance. The theme appeared to be “Interplanetary Mr. Romance.” Large replicas of colony ships had been set up and decked with lights. The staff of the hotel had been made-up to look like the Saurians of Delta, the first alien race contacted by humans.

Susan gestured to Mario, so Jensen followed Jared and Susan into the darkened, elaborately decorated ball room. The venue had set up a slave holding area in one of the conference rooms, so Jensen and Mario withdrew into a comfortably appointed slave room, complete with deep padding and closed circuit television displaying scenes from the gaiety of the prom. Jensen knew all the others as they were the slaves he saw every day at lunch. Alexander, Adrian Kennedy’s slave pulled out decks of cards and arranged an impromptu Texas Hold’em tournament. Before he knew it, Jensen was having a very good time.

He glanced at the monitors periodically, so he saw when it started.

 

Jared had been more miserable, he was sure; he just couldn’t remember when. Susan prated on pirouetting from one inane topic to the next. She couldn’t dance very well, either. Jared was fairly certain that she would be dynamite at traditional ballroom dancing, but dancing to popular music? Not so much. She kept trying to rub up against him, all the while keeping up a running commentary on her earrings, her shoes, the earrings and shoes she planned to buy, and earrings and shoes from days long past. Or at least that’s how it seemed.

Jared searched for Devon Kennedy. Even though he had graduated, he should be here because he dated Trisha Morgan who was in Jared’s class. He finally spotted him in the corner with another pair of painfully bored college boys. He began to steer Susan in that general direction.

Jared stared at Devon, willing him to look around. Finally, as if feeling eyes on him, Devon turned and saw Jared with Susan. His mouth fell open. Then he realized Jared was watching him and he turned his gape of astonishment into a sneer. Just then, the band announced a break and recorded music at a lower volume replaced them. Jared was able to stop. Susan plastered herself to his side. Devon looked sick.

“Oh, look, Susan. There’s Devon.”

“Um,” Susan commented, showing no interest.

Jared winced. This might be harder than he thought.

Then suddenly, Devon was in his face swaying slightly. Oh good, he’s drunk.

“Susan, why are you here with this loser?”

“Devon.” She inclined her head and tugged on Jared’s arm. “I see some friends of mine over there. Let’s go talk to them.”

Jared floundered for a moment and then had an idea. He knew it wasn’t a good idea, but it was something. He glared at Devon, and then stood up as tall as he could, looming forward.

“Who are you calling a loser, you snotty waste of space?”

 

Jensen saw Devon throw the first punch. He had just happened to glance up at the monitor in time to see Devon put his fist into Jared’s face. Then it was on. Jared followed up with a couple of body blows that caused Devon to stagger back into the refreshment table, upending the huge bowl of sticky pink punch. Devon wind milled his arms trying to keep his balance, but Jared crashed into him, knocking him to the floor. Jensen shook his head. He hoped Jared could maintain some degree of focus. He would like to kill Devon, too, but not like this.

“Oh, shit,” Devon’s slave, Fernando exclaimed. “He can’t get arrested for this again. He’ll actually have to do jail time.”

Alexander swept all the cards up. “Come on. I need to find Adrian. He doubled with Devon and we’ve got to get him out of here before the police come.”

Shit, thought Jensen. Now what?

He stood up to see the monitor better. All the slaves crowded around, talking and laughing. Jensen saw Adrian and Fernando close in on Jared and Devon who were now rolling on the floor grimly trading punches. Finally, the faculty chaperones gathered at the scene, but they seemed clueless about what to do. Mr. Browning charged in and grabbed the back of Jared’s tux, jerking him away from Devon. Devon leapt to his feet, seemingly much more sober now and tried to get around Browning to clutch at Jared. 

The music stopped and the lights came up. Susan Lacey stood with her hands over her mouth. Jensen watched her narrowly and thought he saw the beginnings of a pleased smile playing around the corners of her mouth. He shifted his attention back to Jared and cringed when he saw that his master had a split lip and an area around one eye that almost glowed bright red. He didn’t know if his presence would exacerbate the issue or be of help. Finally he couldn’t stand it and charged out into the ballroom to help Jared in any way he could.

Alexander, Adrian’s slave, stopped him by putting a hand on his chest. Jensen didn’t know Alexander well, but he had noticed that he was quiet and seemed thoughtful.

“You don’t want to go over there right now.”

“Why?” Jensen challenged.

Alexander sighed. “You do know this is all about you, don’t you?”

Jensen’s heart sank. “What do you mean?”

“We all know what they did to you. Devon couldn’t stop bragging about it. Whenever he and Wayne and Jeff are together, that’s all they talk about. How they showed Jared a thing or two. Devon has even said that he bets you want to go another round.”

Jensen’s mouth twisted into a scowl, and he lurched around Alexander who caught him and swung him all the way back around using his own momentum.

“Chill the fuck out. None of us believe it. I don’t think Jeff and Wayne even actually believe that what they did was right or good. Devon is a piece of work. If he sees you right now, things will only get worse. Can you stay out of it?”

Jensen sighed. “I need to get to Jared.”

Alexander looked at him strangely. “Shit. You love him? Jared?”

Jensen looked back. “What if I do?”

Alexander shook his head and laughed. “I might have known. That explains why Jared is so damn mad. Does he plan to claim you or something?”

“I hope so.”

“Some people have more luck than they appreciate.” Alexander thought for a minute. “If you’ll stand right here, I’ll get Jared to you, okay?”

“You know why I’m not sure I can trust you?”

Alexander nodded. “Yeah. But you have to, right now. If Devon goes to jail, Jared will go with him.”

Jensen stepped back and raised his hands in the air. “Okay. If you have an idea how to handle this, go for it.”

Alexander joined Adrian and Fernando who were holding a furious, nearly insane, Devon. Jensen wondered what Devon would do to the slaves once he had time to think it over. Maybe they could claim Adrian ordered them to help him. 

Jensen saw Alexander walk up to Jared and Mr. Browning and start talking. Browning nodded and Jared shook his head. Alexander kept talking. Jensen noticed Mario standing protectively in front of Susan with a grim look on his face. The rest of the students and slaves had moved back not wanting to appear to be involved when the police came. 

Mr. Browning turned Jared around and shoved him at Jensen. Jared turned back around but Alexander took him by the arm and whispered urgently to him. Finally Jared exchanged one last hate-filled look with Devon and turned toward Jensen. Jensen expelled his held breath with a great whoosh and grabbed Jared’s hand, pulling him toward the exit.

They came out of the building as the police began pulling up outside. Jensen pulled Jared behind the landscaping and they semi-crouched, walking around the building behind the shrubbery. Once they had reached the other side of the building, Jensen peered out. The coast was clear. 

Jensen turned and embraced Jared carefully, not sure how hurt he might be.

Jared grabbed him and held him tight.

“I wanted to kill that piece of shit.”

“I know. But I’m glad you didn’t. Do you think that Devon will try to press charges?”

“No. What he did to you was a crime. Not the crime it should be, but a serious interference with property rights just the same. He has to know that the whole story will come out if he tries to prosecute me. This whole thing is probably on tape, though. I think the police could decide to come after me on their own.”

“Well,” Jensen drawled, “we have tonight.”

Jared smiled and kissed Jensen’s cheek. “We do.”


	14. Fourteen

A taxi took them to the Marriott and Jared checked them in. Jensen started to ask about luggage, but when they got to the room, Jared’s duffle was already there. 

“I can’t fault your organizational skills,” Jensen said.

“Nothing but the best for my man,” Jared said. “He then pulled out a ridiculously huge bottle of lube and Jensen cracked up.

“If you plan to use all that tonight, we’d better get started,” Jensen gasped, pulling his polo shirt off over his head, while Jared tore at his bow tie and vest as if they were mortal enemies.

“Hold on, just a minute. You’ll tear the buttons off.” Jensen warned walking up to Jared and deftly removing the tie and unbuttoning the vest.

“I don’t care.”

Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Your mother will. Hold still. I’ll have you out of all this in a second.”

Jensen ended up struggling to undress Jared, while his master continued to kiss any part of Jensen that came near enough to grab. Both boys laughed until they ached for breath. Finally, Jensen got Jared’s shoes off, and pulled his dress pants and silk boxers down and pushed Jared backward onto the bed. Jensen finished stripping himself with trembling hands and scrambled onto the bed and into Jared’s arms. 

Jared rolled them so that he lay fully on top of Jensen. Jensen moaned and squirmed, already hard enough to drive nails through a wall. Jared teased his nipples to hot red peaks with his fingers and tongue and then kissed and licked his way down to Jensen’s navel, which he kissed and explored with his tongue. Jensen’s heart pounded in his ears and he thrust his hips up, hitting Jared in the face with his cock.

Jared grinned at Jensen and then slowly licked the glistening fluid from the tip of Jensen’s cock. Jensen whined.

“I’ll get you there, I promise.” Jared’s index finger gently circled the puckered rim of Jensen’s entrance. And Jensen tensed. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? You tensed up.”

Jensen sighed and nodded. “I won’t lie, I’m a little bit afraid. You know it will hurt at first. Logically, it can’t hurt as bad as it did with Jeff and his friends, but you’ll have to show me.”

“I’m scared, too. I don’t want to hurt you at all.”

Jensen smiled at Jared. “Just start and if it gets to be too much I’ll tell you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Jared hesitated for a moment and then coated three fingers of his right hand liberally with lube. “Tell me what to do.”

“Just put your index finger in at first and explore.”

Jared took a deep breath, he had nearly lost his arousal from fear that he would hurt or injure his lover, but when his finger sank into Jensen’s tight, hot, hole, his cock sprang to attention. Jared tried to control his breathing but the thought of driving into Jensen’s body sent shockwaves of urgent lust through him. He ran his finger around the interior ring of muscle, coaxing it to relax.

“How does this feel?”

“Not bad. There was just a little burning sensation at first, but it’s gone now. Put another finger in and start stretching me.”

Jared slid another finger into Jensen, stopping when the boy hissed.

“No, that’s all right. Just hold still for a second and let me adjust.”

Jared’s whole body shuddered with the effort it cost him to keep still.

Jensen finally relaxed with a deep sigh. “Okay. I’m good.”

Jared carefully deepened his thrusting hand. This is too tight. I’ll never be able to get in here. Jensen’s interior muscles fought against the stretch. Jared’s fingers began to tire. Then, suddenly, the constricting tissue just gave and stretched to accommodate Jared’s scissoring movements. Jared heard Jensen panting.

“Still, okay?”

Jensen moaned. “Starting to feel good, now.”

Jared got past the rings of muscle at Jensen’s entrance and began to scissor and thrust in earnest, all the while searching for the nub of Jensen’s prostate. He found a bump of tissue and Jensen made a noise that Jared couldn’t describe. He deliberately stroked it again as gently as he could.

“Oh, God! Please don’t stop. Jesus!”

Jared hurriedly inserted a third finger and began twisting his wrist as he stretched Jensen open. He made sure to brush against Jensen’s prostate every few seconds. Jensen began pushing back against his thrusting fingers and squirming.

“Please, Jared. I’m ready…Please…”

Jensen raised his legs and spread them as widely as he could holding them in place with his hands “Come on!”

Jared’s mouth dried up at the sight of Jensen holding himself open, and a slow hard throb ran up his cock from root to tip. He pulled his fingers out and winced as Jensen’s hole closed nearly all the way back up. He poured lube on his erect member and poised at Jensen’s entrance.

“Okay. Try to stay relaxed.”

Jared pushed gently. The head of his cock was so slick that he slid nearly all the way in before he could stop himself. Jensen thrashed and cried out. Jared stopped and tried to keep his hips still. Jensen was almost too tight for Jared to bear. He didn’t think he would last long if Jensen ever let him move.

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t realize how slick I was and I kinda lost control.”

Jensen gritted his teeth and Jared prepared to be asked to pull out. Then, just like before, Jared felt a change in the quality of tension and Jensen gasped and relaxed. “I think you can move now.”

“Are you sure?”

Jensen smiled up at him, brilliantly. “Hell, yeah.” He tightened his muscles around Jared and Jared lost control. He plunged all the way into Jensen and began trying to set a rhythm. Jensen fucked back at him and it took a few strokes before they got it right. Jared angled his hips until he got a surprised mewl out of Jensen. He kept that angle and hammered Jensen’s prostate with every stroke. Pleasure spiraled up Jared’s spine and, too soon, he felt his balls tighten as his orgasm roared up and out of him. He came so hard it nearly hurt. Jensen wrapped his legs around Jared and rutted against his belly. It only took a few repetitions before Jensen came, hot and messy, between them. They lay there in a daze of satisfaction.

Finally Jared got his wits back enough to ask, “Are you okay? Did it hurt?”

Jensen chuckled weakly. “Only at first. You have no idea what you did to me. I never came so hard in my life. Everything actually blacked out for a second.”

Jared rolled his weight, carefully off Jensen, and hugged him close. “So…you might want to do this again?”

Jensen snorted. “I might just want to never do anything else.”

They spent the night testing that theory.

 

Jared: on the eve of his 18th birthday

Jensen flowed like mercury through the defensive line and easily reached the pile of backpacks denoting the skins’ end zone. Jared lounged on the grass and watched as Jensen spiked the football and threw back his head, crowing with laughter. Jensen raised both arms over his head and ran in a circle as the rest of his team catcalled and hooted. Exuberance filled the air. The summer between senior year of high school and beginning college spread out, filled with promise.

Jared’s cock twitched as he marveled yet again at his boy’s unaffected beauty. Jensen’s sweat slicked skin glowed in the sun, and the boy’s quick black eyes snapped and burned with pleasure. He flicked back his shoulder length blue-black hair and lifted one hand to run a finger around the rim of his plain brown household collar. Jared could see the heat irritation peppering Jensen’s neck from where he sat. Well, that wouldn’t be a problem anymore after tomorrow.

Chad slid down on the grass beside Jared and nudged him with his shoulder.

“Does he know yet?”

Jared grinned lazily. “Nope. I’m going to do it right.”

“He doesn’t seem too worried.”

“He knows how much he’s loved. He knows that I’m taking him with me to Stanford, no matter what. I mean, Jensen got into pre-vet school at the slave extension college there. Once he’s claimed and his transcript becomes authentic, he can count on a career. Not even Mom can say that’s a bad thing.”

“Did it come?”

Jared nodded, envisioning the claiming collar resting in its velvet box at the bottom of his sock drawer. Jared had saved ten percent of every pay check he got working after school for the last two years to get it, so that his mother wouldn’t know he spent the money. Custom made soft black leather with a washable liner. The leather worker made it according to Jensen’s measurements and it would sit at his neckline so perfectly that Jensen shouldn’t even feel it. Jared had gone the extra-extra mile and had it inset with a line of faceted black diamonds. He couldn’t help himself; he wanted something to frame and display Jensen’s physical beauty. The collar would sparkle like Jensen’s eyes. 

“So we’re still on for tonight,” Chad talked out of the side of his mouth and Jared laughed.

“Yeah. One minute after midnight. The second I turn eighteen.” Jared sat up and gave Chad a solemn look. “So you and Sophia need to be standing by to be skyped as witnesses. Don’t forget! The ceremony won’t be legal without two witnesses.”

“You really think you need to do his claiming covertly?” Chad rolled on his side propping his head up on one arm.

“You know my mom, what do you think? She gets more disgusted with me every passing day, dude.”

Chad nodded. “It’s a shame your dad didn’t live to see this.”

“Yeah. He bought Jensen for me in the first place.”

“I have so heard this story a million times,” Chad said. 

Jared swallowed hard, missing his father. “He totally understood me.”

Jared lay silent for a long moment, remembering.

Chad poked him in the side. “Earth to Jared. Stop it. You’re imagining Jensen in his new collar, aren’t you? You guys love each other so much it makes me sick sometimes.” Chad got to his feet and slowly stretched.

Jared pointed at Jensen with his chin, pushing away his longing for his father. “Can you blame me?” 

Jensen looked up at that moment and trotted in Jared’s direction.

“You know how straight I am. But even I have to admit that Jensen’s gorgeous.”

“And smart. And funny.”

“And good in the sack, I take it.”

Jared grinned and lay back in the grass, hands behind his head. “You have no idea. I don’t think I could even make you have an idea.”

Chad hid his eyes with both hands. “Oh, God, Jared. Sit up and pull your shirt down. You’ve already got a hard-on, and those basketball shorts do nothing to hide it. I’m sorry I even brought the subject up.”

Jensen fell to the ground next to Jared, nodding once to Chad, before turning his attention back to Jared.

“Hi.”

“Hi, yourself,” Jared said, sitting up and digging Jensen’s faded AC/DC T-shirt out of his bag. “I really don’t want you to put this back on.”

Jensen snorted. “That’s probably why I should.”

Jared’s phone buzzed. He picked it up and sighed heavily as he read the text. “It’s Mom. She says she needs me home before dinner.”

Jensen sprang to his feet and offered Jared a hand up. “Maybe she wants to talk about your birthday party.”

Jared groaned. “I don’t want a party. I would be fine just hanging out with you.” He turned to let Jensen brush grass off his ass.

Chad laughed as he bent to pick up his backpack. “She knows that. And you know how much your relationship with Jensen bothers her.”

“There’s nothing she can do about it. After tomorrow….”Jared caught himself, looking sideways at Jensen.

Jensen pivoted to face him. “After tomorrow, what?” Jared saw hope running through Jensen’s eyes and relaxed.

“You’ll have to wait to find out.”

“Is it good?”

Jared pulled Jensen into a one-armed hug, overwhelming affection swamping him for a moment. “Have I ever hurt you?”

Chad coughed and fanned his face. “Bye, guys. Getting too deep for me here.” He shot another amused smile at Jared and wandered toward the parking lot.

Jensen leaned into Jared’s embrace and burrowed his face into Jared’s shoulder. Jared kissed the top of his head quickly, nuzzling into Jensen’s silky black hair, taking a deep whiff of healthy musk. “He’s just jealous,” Jared whispered. Jensen wrapped his arms around Jared and wiped his sweaty face and neck on Jared’s shirt, chuckling.

“Ewww!” Jared shoved Jensen away with an exaggerated grimace. “Now I need a shower, too.”

“All part of the plan.” Jensen smirked at Jared, smug as a housecat. Jared shook his head and dug a towel out of his back pack. He grabbed Jensen by the collar ring, wiping Jensen’s face aggressively as the boy struggled to escape. Both boys laughed. Jensen’s flailing at Jared overbalanced them and they fell to the ground. Jared rolled Jensen under him and time stopped. Jared looked down at Jensen’s trusting face and an explosion of love ran through his body leaving heart-pounding heat in its wake. 

Jensen reached for Jared and pulled him down into a hungry kiss. Losing himself in Jensen, Jared forgot they lay in a public park in plain view and pinned Jensen down, taking charge of the kiss and reveling in Jensen’s instant submission. He felt Jensen harden beneath him and wriggled to line up their cocks. Jensen pulled slightly away, his pupils blown wide.

“Master…we’re outside. Anyone could come by.” Jensen lowered his head and peeked up at Jared provocatively from beneath his long dark blonde lashes. “If I could suggest that we go home and take this up in the shower.…”

Jared sprang to his feet and lowered a hand to Jensen. “Sounds good. Better than good.”

Holding Jensen’s hand, Jared turned and they raced to the parking lot.

Remembering Chad’s earlier comments made Jared think about his father. As he drove them home, with Jensen, sans seatbelt, tucked comfortably, and illegally, under his arm, Jared smiled privately as he remembered his fourteenth birthday.

 

Jared shook off his reverie as he pulled into the driveway. Jensen suddenly sat up.

“Jared. Why do you think a Slave Depot truck is parked across the street?” Jensen pointed to a bright orange truck with the familiar logo of raised wrists chained together, rendered in silver paint.

Fear spiked Jared’s tongue to his palate momentarily. He looked into Jensen’s terrified eyes and tried to smile.

“You don’t think your mother would send me back, do you?” Jensen’s voice wavered.

Jared studied Jensen’s face for a long moment. “I hate to say it, but that’s not too crazy.” Jared thought for a moment. “You know what? Let’s just go. I don’t care how mad Mom gets that we didn’t come home; I’m not taking even the slightest chance on losing you. I wish to God she wasn’t trustee of my estate right now.”

Jensen nodded and sagged in his seat. Jared started the car up again and threw it in reverse. When he looked in the mirror to back out of the driveway, another Slave Depot truck had pulled across the base of the driveway, blocking his path. Undeterred, Jared swung the wheel and drove out across the lawn. His mother ran through the front door and threw herself in front of Jared’s car.

“Stop! What do you think you’re doing? Do you have any idea how much I pay to keep the lawn looking like this?”

Gritting his teeth, Jared fought the impulse to run her down. He rolled his window down. “I don’t know, but I will by tomorrow. You’d best watch your step. You know Dad left everything to me, and I fully intend to take control tomorrow. I might just sell the house. You could actually have to get a job to support yourself.”

She smirked. “It isn’t tomorrow, yet, is it? Get out of the car and come in the house or I’ll call the police and report that you stole it and another valuable asset.”

“I’m not getting out until you tell me why the slave truck is here.”

Jared could see neighbors walking tentatively into the street to see what all the racket was about.

“Come inside, Jared. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself.”

“No. We’re not coming in.” Jared rolled up the window and revved the engine, creeping forward slowly, forcing his mother to step back.

Jensen caught a deep breath. “Jared, the police are already here.”

Jared saw the flashing blue lights from the side of his eye. He continued slowly forcing his mother to back up, hoping he could get to the street and make a run for it. 

“Please, Jared. If you get arrested, she can do anything she wants with me.”

“That’s the problem. Right now you belong to the household instead of specifically to me. Until tomorrow she can do anything she wants with you.”

His mother called out to him. “I let you keep him until the last possible minute. You know I can’t let you continue to carry on a relationship with another boy. What will people think? What about your soul? I have to do this son.”

Jensen groaned as his worst fears were confirmed. A black wave of anger swamped Jared’s judgment. Jensen switched off the car just before Jared floored the accelerator, intending to drive over his mother if she didn’t jump out of the way. 

Jared rounded on Jensen. “What have you done?”

Jensen sighed. “Saved you from jail. Jared, whatever happens, tomorrow you’re going to have lots of money. You can just find me and buy me back. Slave ownership is a matter of public record, isn’t it?”

“But you might have to…to…”

“Be with someone else, yes. But isn’t that better than you spending the rest of your life in jail for murdering your mother? Without ever seeing me again? I’ll live. Unless you think you couldn’t love me anymore…”

Jared hugged Jensen to him, heedless of the growing crowd of witnesses. “Nothing you could do would ever make me stop loving you. I know you wouldn’t have a choice in the matter. I don’t want you to feel bad or guilty over whatever mess my mother puts you in. You’re right. I hate it, but you’re right.”

Jensen swallowed hard. “You could claim me…”

Jared barked a short laugh. “That’s what I planned to do. You know I can’t until I’m eighteen. Jesus, six hours. Can’t they just let us have six hours?”

Jensen inhaled. “You really were? Going to claim me?”

Jared nodded. “I have a custom made collar and everything. Chad and Sophia were going to witness for us by Skype. I was going to do it right after midnight. Just as soon as I could.”

Tears streamed down Jensen’s face. “I want that so much.”

A police officer knocked on Jared’s window. Jared rolled it down.

“Son, just get out of the car and hand the slave over. There’s no way you’re going to win this one.”

Jared looked around. Everyone who lived on the street stood a short distance away, gawking. His mother stood in front of the car, arms akimbo, palpable hate pouring off her. A fucking news truck had pulled up behind the police. Jensen poked him in the ribs. 

Jared looked at him. “I can’t stand to lose you.”

Jensen nodded. “I know. I feel the same. But right now we don’t have a choice. At least I can’t see one. Not a good one.”

Jared smiled faintly. “No. We can either give up, or I can run Mom down and we can make a break for it. Are you up for a high speed chase?”

Jensen snorted. “I’m not up for anything that ends up with you in jail.”

The police officer leaned down and looked in the window. “I’m going to have to start making arrests soon, if you don’t get out of the car voluntarily.”

“If we get out, can you help us get a minute alone to say good-bye?”

The officer hesitated. “No, from what I understand they need to take him immediately. How long you had him?”

“Since we were fourteen. I turn eighteen tomorrow. I was going to claim him. Is there any way I can keep them from taking him for six hours? That’s all we need.”

“I’m sorry. Your mother is your trustee, right? Your slave is an asset in your trust and she has control over all your assets until tomorrow. She’s already sold him. They have to pick him up and deliver him, right now.”

Jared’s vision darkened and he couldn’t catch his breath. She waits until my birthday to sell Jensen? He glanced up and saw her watching, her face twisted in triumph and disgust. Jensen slid away from him and out the passenger door. 

“Jensen! I’ll buy you back tomorrow!”


	15. Fifteen

The slave-takers grabbed him and cut his household collar off, throwing it to the ground. They pulled out restraints and locked Jensen into them, even though he offered no resistance. He turned his head and looked at Jared one last time, before they frog-marched him over to the van and pushed him inside, none too gently. 

The policeman let loose of Jared’s shoulder and nodded. “I’m not going to arrest you for criminal mischief, since it seems you actually own this lawn. But you have to know that it’s a felony to interfere with an owner’s control of his slave. I don’t know who bought the boy, but if it turns out to be someone local and I find out you’re snooping around, I will have no mercy. You get me?”

Jared nodded numbly.

“I suggest you put the car in the driveway and go on inside while I can stay here to control the media for you.”

Jared started the car and backed carefully across the lawn and lined it up appropriately in the driveway. He closed the door and locked it. Looking at no one he headed up the walk and into the house. His skin clung too tight and his heart jittered and juked in his chest. He couldn’t seem to get his breath. He heard his mother come inside after him and rage threatened to rob him of his control again.

Jared stood very still at the base of the stairs, his fists clenched, struggling to control his anger. 

“Jared, I had to do what I thought was right.”

Jared whirled around to face his mother. “Right for who? You have to know that....”

“I found this in your room,” his mother said quietly, her tone stressed and disgusted. She held the claiming collar up with two fingers. “I found a better use for it.”

“Mom…I bought that myself with my own money from my job. You have no right to take it.”

His mother ignored him and opened the double doors to the dining room. A pretty girl knelt on the carpet. She wore a sports bra that barely contained her breasts and a tiny thong. 

“This is Shara, your new slave. You can use this collar to claim her tomorrow.”

Jared clenched his eyes shut against a tide of tears. “That won’t be happening. You bought her, you keep her. Tomorrow when Uncle Dan comes over with the trust instruments I’ll gladly make a gift of her to you.”

His mother smirked. “There is no trust. At least, not for you.”

Jared gawked. “What?”

“I’ve had three years. Once we started dating, your Uncle Dan and I developed a method of transferring the assets in the trust into off-shore accounts in my name only. You’re penniless, Jared. Your abomination of a father couldn’t be satisfied with his own deviant behavior, he had to foster it in you, too. I cannot and will not have a homosexual son.”

Jared goggled at her. “That’s clearly a felony. You can’t think you can get away with this.”

She grunted. “How will you pay a lawyer? How will you get the documents to prosecute me?”

“I don’t know. But if there is a way, I assure you I will find it.”

“Well, until you do, you had better behave or you won’t have a roof over your head. You have a choice. Take Shara up to your bedroom and behave like God meant you to behave. Claim her. Or, if you don’t want to do that, just keep her all summer. If you don’t want to take her with you to Stanford after that, then I’ll sell her. 

“Or what?”

“Or you can leave right now. No home, no way to support yourself, no money, no college. Your choice.”

“Don’t forget, no Jensen.” Jared longed to turn and walk out the door. But if he did that, he would lose the ability to try to fight to get Jensen back for God knew how long. He would lose college. He had a full ride, but that wouldn’t pay for clothes and other incidentals. He owed it to Jensen, and to himself, to try his best to maximize his advantages here. He clearly could no longer trust his Uncle Dan. Chad’s father was a lawyer; maybe he could talk to him. 

He held out a hand to the girl. “Come.” 

Shara rose gracefully to her feet and walked to him, swaying her hips seductively. Jared felt hysterical laughter welling up inside. He glanced at his mother and felt queasy at the total satisfaction painted all over her face. You might have won this round, but the fight will be long and vicious. Jared vowed to himself that he would leave his mother penniless and alone the same way she threatened to leave him now.

 

He tromped up the steps, acutely aware of the slave trailing behind him. Shara followed him into his room and pulled off her bra and began stepping out of her thong.

“Whoa. Nothing’s going to happen here that would require you to get naked.”

“You just want me to service you orally, then?” The girl’s dulcet tones would surely drive a straight man wild. 

“I don’t want your service at all.”

“You find me unattractive?”

“Yeah, but don’t take it personally, I don’t find any female sexually attractive.”

“I don’t understand. Why did your mother buy me for you, then?”

Jared smiled. “Look at me, when we’re talking.”

He waited and she slowly lifted her head. Cornflower blue eyes stared at him blankly. “My mother sold my slave Jensen. I planned to claim him tomorrow. I love him with all my heart. She sold him and wants to replace him with you.”

Shara tilted her head. “That’s…”

Jared sighed. “Speak freely. I’m not mad at you. None of this is your choice.”

Shara’s eyes might have shone the slightest spark of intelligence. “Your mother has made a frivolous purchase.” She then dropped to her knees, dipping her forehead to the floor. “Forgive me, Master, if I took your command to speak freely too far.”

Jared snorted. “No. You are exactly right.”

Jensen in Captivity

Jensen submitted to the Slave Depot deliverymen. He knew Jared came into his inheritance within a few hours and had every confidence that he would do whatever it took to buy him back. He sat calmly and allowed them to chain him and shackle his ankles together. Then one of his captors took out a knife with a long serrated blade and Jensen shrank back.

“Settle down. I’m just going to get rid of those clothes for you.”

Without thinking, Jensen said, “You could have just asked. I would have taken them off.”

The last word hadn’t cleared his lips before his ears rang and pain shot through his mouth. The man had backhanded him.

“I can see you might need a spot of retraining. Remember your place. You don’t want me to remember it for you.”

Jensen hung his head and stayed still as the man cut his favorite t-shirt to shreds and then his jeans. The man’s lips curled when he saw that Jensen wore briefs. 

“You must have had your master wrapped around your finger, Pretty. You know the rules. No underwear.” He slashed at the thin cotton and Jensen jumped as the knife scored his skin.

“You better stay still. I might cut something you need.”

Jensen stilled, fighting his fear. This man could do anything he liked to Jensen. Any man could. Any citizen could. He gritted his teeth. He only had to make it until tomorrow when the banks opened. Jared would buy him back.

But Jared never came for him. 

Jared at Stanford

Grimly, Jared left his home the next day and went to Palo Alto three months early. He rented the cheapest apartment he could find and ignored the cockroaches and the loud fights of his neighbors. He enrolled in the summer quarter and worked two part-time jobs, pooling the money to hire private detectives to search for Jensen. It took him nearly eight weeks to get enough together to front the retainer. They discovered almost immediately that Jensen had been sold to an interplanetary slave dealer who dealt with the colony planets exclusively. Shit. Jared collapsed onto his creaky sofa in his tiny studio apartment, head in hands. Even if he still had access to his entire inheritance he couldn’t finance an interplanetary investigation. Jensen might as well be dead. For all he knew Jensen was dead.

Jared pondered the new information until he had a dawning idea. Then he went to see the academic dean.

Dean Allen was leaving his office and Jared came up behind him just as he set the automatic lock.

“Dean Allen?”

“Office hours tomorrow are from nine to five, Mr….?”

“Jared Padalecki, sir. I’m afraid this won’t wait. I would hate to throw away my scholarship and my education, but I’m prepared to do so.”

Dean Allen turned red with irritation. “Trying to blackmail me into a late appointment won’t work. Whatever problem you have with whatever professor you think has wronged you, it will wait until tomorrow. Now, good night to you.”

Dean Allen turned to walk away.

Jared hesitated. “Sir, I have to go off planet, immediately to help a family member. It is quite literally a matter of life and death.”

Dean Allen stopped and turned around. He examined Jared’s face for a moment. Apparently satisfied that he wasn’t being manipulated by a spoiled student he heaved a great sigh and opened his office door.

“Then I suppose you’d better come in and tell me about it.”

Jared hid his shaking hands in the pockets of his jacket and followed Dean Allen into the pleasantly appointed rooms of his office suite. Everything was cherry wood and dark green leather. Dean Allen sank into his luxurious office chair. 

“Tell me. I really have an important engagement to get to. My wife will be furious if I’m late.”

Jared glanced at the gleaming credenza behind the desk. He saw a family portrait and his courage sprang to life when he noted that the woman who was obviously Dean Allen’s wife wore a claiming collar. Maybe the man would understand. 

“Sir, I will be as brief as I can be.”

Jared told the Dean about Jensen and his mother’s embezzling of his inheritance and selling Jensen. He told Dean Allen about his plan to claim Jensen and tried to convey the depth of his love without becoming maudlin. But tears sprang to his eyes when he thought about seeing Jensen wrested forcibly away from him out of his life. He explained the investigation results and paused.

“I’m sorry. But, how is quitting school going to help you with funding your investigation? I can’t let you cash out your scholarship, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“No sir. I just asked myself who frequently travels between the colony worlds in a routine manner. I plan to enlist in the Interplanetary Police and Diplomatic Corps.”

Dean Allen paled. “What? Do you have any idea what kinds of people enlist or are conscripted into the Corps?”

Jared nodded grimly. “I’m fully aware that most of the conscripts are hardened criminals or career army who have been given the Corps as an alternative to a dishonorable discharge. However, I met the criteria to be accepted into their Officer Training Program. Within six months, I will have my own patrol and access to the law enforcement databases on each colony world. I am willing to put up with any discomfort or hardship to find Jensen. You have no idea.” He had to look away to try to get control of himself.

“Here,” Dean Allen said, offering Jared a box of tissue. He then typed at a rapid pace into his tablet and made a satisfied humming sound. “Well…you have excellent grades. And you say you’ve been working full-time as well as carrying this class load?”

Jared nodded.

Dean Allen looked at the ceiling and cleared his throat. “I’ve just been trying to think how devastated I would be if someone separated me from Lucretia. I don’t think I would be doing as well as you seem to be.”

Jared shook his head. “I’m really not doing all that well.”

“I know General Staley in the Corps. I think I can facilitate your enlistment and make sure you get what you need.”

Jared’s sore heart eased slightly. “I would be forever in your debt.”

Dean Allen smiled at him. “I just want you to find your Jensen and come home and finish this degree. I see here that a Jensen Padalecki had been provisionally admitted to our slave pre-vet program. Is that him?”

“Yes, sir.” Jared breathed. “If you could hold his place as well…”

“Of course, I will son. I’m going to make that call right now. Why don’t you wait outside and I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Jared stood up and stretched. He put the tissue box back on Dean Allen’s desk and nodded. He couldn’t think of words strong enough to express his gratitude. He looked into Dean Allen’s eyes and saw that the man fully understood.


	16. Sixteen

Jensen with his new master

Numb and finding it hard to believe that Jared would just let him go, Jensen endured all the indignities of returning to slave hood compliantly. He was held at the Depot for three days before his new master came to collect him. Three full days. All of them business days. Jared would only have needed about three hours to get money and come to get him. Was everything I thought we had a lie? He didn’t want to doubt his lover’s sincerity, but, where the hell was Jared?

Maybe Jared had an accident. He could be lying at death’s door somewhere and Jensen would never know. After the third day, Jensen’s thoughts turned toward suicide. Devastated, he cried himself to sleep every night and got a punishment flogging every morning for having puffy eyes. 

Finally, a tall thin man in an exquisitely tailored suit came for him. He brought two bodyguards with him. While he signed paperwork, Jensen was required to blow both of them. He did so mechanically, but apparently satisfactorily because neither man hit him or complained.

This is my life now. I am nothing but a set of holes. Again.

He listlessly obeyed commands to heel. He didn’t even care that they took him out of the center naked. He was placed in the trunk of a large SUV and curled up on his side, grimacing at the exhaust fumes permeating his enclosed space. He had no idea how much time passed. But he knew where they were immediately as soon as the trunk was opened. The Mid-West Spaceport.

Oh, god. No. 

Jensen didn’t realize that he was still holding on to the hope that Jared would find him and take him back. If his owner took him off-world, any rescue from Jared became impossible. Jensen knew that, even if Jared were willing to invest every penny he had, he still wouldn’t be able to afford to come after Jensen on another planet. Only colonists going on one-way trips and commercial entities with their own ships made these voyages. He looked around in panic and then he was injected with something and shoved into a crate.

Great. He would be making this trip as cargo. Whatever drug they gave him had an almost instant effect. He welcomed the darkness when it took him.

When he woke up, nauseous and groggy, he was let out of the crate into a large luxuriously appointed room. An enormously obese man waddled up to him and grabbed his face.

“This is a pretty one. How did you find him?”

“He had only one master, a teen-aged boy the same age. His mother wanted to sell him since her son was going to college and didn’t want to be bothered with him.”

Jensen fought back his rage at hearing this. He knew, at least, that this wasn’t true. He and Jared had spent hours looking at apartments on-line and making lists of what they would need to buy when they reached California. That wasn’t an act. He just knew it. He clung to that memory. He had to continue to believe in Jared or…he would lose his mind.

“Make him up and find something exotic for him to wear. I love the hair…be sure that is displayed to full effect. I want to put him on the floor tonight.”

Jensen wondered what that meant. He guessed he could sleep on the floor. If it had a carpet like this one; that might not even be too bad.

Women bathed him and lined his eyelids with kohl. His hair was washed and many different products were used on it. When the women were done with him his hair gleamed like black diamonds and felt softer than spider silk. The eyeliner made his brilliant black eyes shine that much brighter. He had lost a little weight on the voyage and every muscle stood out in bold relief. Jensen looked at his reflection in astonishment. Who was this beautiful boy?

He found out that “being on the floor” meant available for use. He had been purchased by an itinerant brothel keeper. His master’s ship carried cargo, but also whores. He went from port to port, staying a few months at a time picking up new cargo, but using the port time to make even more money off his prostitutes. Right now they were docked at the port of Mythros, a mining colony. When the doors opened for business, Jensen cringed inside. Men fairly swarmed into the lobby. There were only five girls and two boys to service what looked like thirty men. Jensen fought despair.

Then one of the serving women offered him a drink.

“This will help you. Trust me. You drink this and you won’t care so much.”

Jensen debated with himself and then he saw a group of five men pointing at him. He quickly raised the glass and drank it down. A few seconds later he floated on clouds. He flashed in and out of consciousness, usually when something became unusually painful. Finally he drifted off to sleep.

Captain Jared Padalecki of the IPDC ship, Clinton.

Jared sat in his command chair fighting depression. He had served six month tours of duty at three of the four colony worlds, without pinning down Jensen’s exact location. He had traced him from the slave dealer’s inventory to the staff of a cargo ship/brothel. The evening he discovered who had Jensen; he had taken his newly minted hand-to-hand combat skills and gone out to a bar. He hadn’t been there long before he provoked such a fight that he had to be hospitalized for a week and the bar had to shut down for a month to make repairs. 

He began to fear that when he found Jensen, that his lover would be changed beyond repair. He wouldn’t be Jensen anymore. He wouldn’t love Jared anymore. In fact, a drug had recently cropped up that owner’s used on slaves to wipe their memories. This was especially useful for markets that wanted virgins or that wanted slaves unused to torture. They could take a slave’s virginity repeatedly. To the slave it would always be the first time. Same with torture. Jared prayed that Jensen had not been dosed with this drug. The idea that Jensen would completely forget his existence, would give up on Jared coming for him, pierced Jared’s soul.

They came into orbit around Alaska Nuevo. This would be his best chance to locate Jensen. He knew that the transport the boy had been on had stopped here, recently. It could well still be in dock. He sighed. He could chase Jensen back and forth between these planets and conceivably never catch up with him. He heard his communication officer arrange docking at the station and give the codes. He sighed and entered the code on his data station that would brief him on local problems that IPDC would have to deal with. There were literally thousands of entries. He logged out. He would review and prioritize this list after he reached his on-planet quarters.

They docked smoothly. Jared had a capable crew. They were all competent and deadly. After the bar fight on Delta, which many of them had participated in, they all respected Jared. The first officer announced duty and leave rotations and Jared went to his quarters to fetch his duffel. The ride down in the shuttle was bumpy and nasty. They landed in one of the worst rainstorms Jared had ever seen. The base was new and remained unfinished, which meant that Jared and his crew had to slog through ankle deep mud to reach their quarters. 

They were met at the door by the base commander who had arranged hot coffee and sandwiches for them. Jared knew the man slightly as he had taught one of the forensic evidence courses Jared had taken at the Officer Training Academy.

“Colonel Abbott,” Jared saluted. “Captain Jared Padalecki reporting for duty.”

“Jared,” Abbott responded, “good to see you. I’ve been hearing good things about you.”

Jared didn’t care one way or another. He was here for one reason only. But it looked better if you behaved in the manner expected. 

“Thank you, sir. I wonder if you could spare a man to assist me in reviewing and prioritizing my targets for this tour.”

Abbott thought for a minute. “I can let you have Lieutenant Waverly. He’s been keeping track of investigation progress as the tours come and go. As you know, everything doesn’t get finished up and tied with a bow, just because the six-month change date is reached. I really wished we could have a permanent crew.”

“I’ve been curious about that myself. If I could ask…what is the thinking behind that?”

“Corruption. The longer an investigation team remains on a particular world the more likely it is that the local crime syndicates can get to them. This way you are only on a world for six months every four years. Makes it harder to become biased or plugged into the local power structures.”

“Begging the Colonel’s pardon, but there is an upside to getting to know the local culture.”

“Preaching to the choir. But, how about a drink? If you promise you won’t dismantle the Officer’s Club.”

“I see that stories of my one bar fight have been greatly exaggerated.”

Abbott shot a pointed look at him. “I was on planet when that happened. I saw the residue of the bar. Not exaggerated enough, if you ask me.”

Jared hung his head in mock shame and Abbott punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Let’s go. You can start on the run-down in the morning.”

He spent the evening in congenial company. Not congenial enough to completely slow his mind or sidetrack his hope that tomorrow he would find Jensen. But congenial enough that he got through the evening without drinking himself into a stupor or trying to needle someone into a fight.

 

The next morning he met with Lieutenant Brett Waverly. Brett was attractive to the point of the ridiculous and Jared recognized the interest he saw spring to life in Waverly’s eyes. He maintained a cold, strictly professional demeanor during their conversation until Waverly brought up a subject that turned Jared’s blood to ice.

“I think if you plan to take some people out, you should start with these guys right here,” Waverly tapped Jared’s tablet screen.   
Jared enlarged the data stream and fought nausea. “Does this mean what I think it does? Gambling on life expectancies?”

“It’s more immediate than it sounds. They torture a slave systematically. They write down random body parts in a jar and let members of the audience pick them one at a time. They cut off that part and cauterize the wound. There is usually only one internal organ listed, as once that is removed with the tools they have, death becomes imminent. The bet is how long the slave will last before he dies. Big money bets. The fur and designer suit crowd show up to watch. Sometimes they bring a slave of their own, to put on the rack.”

Jared’s insides clenched. “Yeah, we need to check this out. Do you have any way of knowing how many slaves they’ve killed and who owned them? I’m particularly interested in an itinerant gambler, smuggler and brothel owner who calls himself Alfred Delight.”

“Yeah, I’m familiar with Delight.” Waverly scrolled and tapped until he found the relevant page. “Here you go. It looks like Delight is up to his eyeballs in this. He apparently sets the sessions up and manages the betting protocol.”

Jared tried to be casual but knew he failed by the look on Waverly’s face. “Delight has a slave named Jensen, or he did have. Do we know his status?”

“The slave’s status?” Waverly scratched his head but went back to scrolling and tapping. “Here’s a surveillance video taken last week. Is this the slave?” He held his tablet out for Jared. Jared took it with a visibly trembling hand and cursed himself.

The digital video had been captured with a low light camera. Kneeling by Delight’s side was an exceedingly thin man who kept his gaze fixed on the floor. Jared watched as the man stayed deathly still. Then Delight tugged on his leash and the man rose to his feet glancing at the camera as he did so. Jared’s breath caught in his chest. He would know those eyes anywhere. Jensen’s face was thinner and his hair had been cut. But Jared still remembered how Jensen moved and this was most definitely him.

“Yes. That’s the slave I’ve been looking for.”

“What did he do?”

Jared glared at Waverly. “That’s on a need-to-know basis. Just know that it is my highest priority to take this slave, Jensen, back to the capital for questioning. He is not to be harmed. Can we do that?”

Waverly grinned. “It just so happens that I know when the next Butchery takes place. Are you free Wednesday night?”

“Butchery? They have the brass to call this the Butchery? Yeah, let’s set up a raid.”

“Permission to speak freely sir?”

Jared smiled wryly. “I don’t know. I guess.”

Waverly gave Jared a sympathetic smile. “You haven’t been nearly as subtle as you think. The number of times you’ve looked for this slave created an alert flag on your file. You aren’t under investigation yet, but you’re heading that way. If the high command finds out that you just want this slave for yourself, they’ll kick you out. It will ruin your career, sir.”

Jared grinned, not caring a fig about his “career”. “I’ll take that under advisement, Waverly.” He watched with amusement as the naturally curious Lieutenant struggled not to ask any more questions. “Maybe I’ll tell you about it someday. Make sure that there are competent vets and at least one medic assigned to the raid.”

“You want to save the show slave’s life?”

“Why wouldn’t I? If there’s enough left to question or to prove to be an asset,” Jared covered smoothly. He sent up a silent prayer that Delight wouldn’t bet Jensen before he could get to him. Because the way his luck had been running, that bet was surely in the cards.


	17. Seventeen

Jensen knelt on the sawdust covered floor watching his master get thoroughly wasted. He had served a little over two years on his back and knees in Delight’s journeying brothel. He had come to the owner’s attention after his fourth failed suicide attempt. Delight took great pleasure in keeping Jensen alive and subjugated. The more Jensen hated himself and his life, the more Delight valued him. The man was a true sadist. Apparently, Jensen’s suffering satisfied the man in ways he had never experienced.

Delight questioned Jensen often about his past. Jensen refused to sully his memories of Jared by sharing them with this repellent man. Those memories were all he had. Most of the time he wasn’t sure if he had actually had that life or if the whole thing was something he made up for comfort. Whenever Delight loaned him to his friends, or strung him up to be flogged, he retreated into the memory of that last perfect golden afternoon. He particularly concentrated on Jared’s confession that he meant to claim him.

He wondered if Jared ever thought about him. He wanted Jared to be happy and he hoped the man had found someone new to love and that he had been able to take revenge on his mother. He spent quite a bit of time fantasizing that Sherri was in his place; taking the cocks and the beatings. 

Tonight he knelt as still as he could. He certainly didn’t want his master to get the idea to bet on his tenacity at clinging to life. He might welcome death, but not like this. And he certainly wouldn’t want Delight to profit from his painful demise.

He watched as the torturer scalped the beautiful woman restrained on his rack. She had screamed until she could make no more sound. Tears spilled down her face and her contorted features conveyed her pain nearly as well as her screams had before she used up her voice. One hand and one foot had been amputated and cauterized with a welding torch. As her scalp tore free, the emcee walked around the tables shaking the jar with slips of paper in it. He extended the jar to a woman that Jensen knew to be married to a multi-billionaire. She drew out a slip and handed it to the emcee. He unfolded it and laughed.  
“Well ladies and gentlemen, her teeth go next!”

Jensen caught himself before he moaned in sympathy. He averted his gaze as the torturer wedged his victim’s mouth opened and went to work with the pliers. The audience shouted and groaned as each tooth came free and was tossed over the torturer’s shoulder. The girl lost consciousness and everything came to a halt while they waited for her to regain consciousness. The waitresses took the opportunity to make rounds of their tables. Jensen looked sidelong at some discarded garnish. He saw an olive, an onion, an orange slice, and a cherry, lying on a napkin at the neighboring table. Saliva bubbled up in his mouth. It had been over thirty hours since Delight had thought to feed him. As hungry as he was, this was most definitely not the time to call attention to his existence, by trying to swipe some garbage.

A sudden shout made him jump. The girl had awoken and the torturer began with her bottom teeth. The emcee made the rounds with his jar again. This time he held the paper up in triumph.

“The eyes go next, folks. Ralph, get that camera closer in.”

Jensen winced and hung his head. Huge screens hanging from the ceiling all around the room showed the action in painfully high definition detail. Jensen trembled as the crowd gave a great roar twice and stomped in approval. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take before he went crazy and did something he would regret for the rest of his exceedingly short life.

The jar again. 

“The breasts!”

The jar again.

“The stomach! Okay folks, this will do it. The question is, how long will she last?”

He turned his head as the torturer sliced the woman from sternum to pubis and began rooting around inside her. Blood poured from the incision in an ever-increasing tide. With a welding torch, the torturer’s assistant began burning off bleeders. The woman thrashed as much as she could in her restraints. Her tormenter leaned in close and emerged with a pale pink, slick organ and held it aloft. As the jar made the rounds again, the alarm sounded, indicating that her heart had stopped. 

Jubilation and disappointment swept the crowd. The losers hurled their tickets on the floor and the three winners rushed to the cashier. A crew worked on the stage with hoses and cleansers, getting ready for the next event.

The emcee cleared his throat in the microphone and the din subsided.

“For our next and last round, Delight’s Jensen!”

Jensen had zoned out during the cleaning. He managed to focus all his thoughts on the last time Jared made love to him. Lost in his head, Jensen came back to reality when Delight suddenly hauled him to his feet by his leash, choking him in the process. 

Jensen suddenly realized what the emcee had just said and terror enfolded him in its clammy talons. Mindlessly he began struggling, even hitting Delight in the face. After all, what penalty could they impose that could possibly surpass this?

Delight laughed. “You want to die? At least I’ll make a profit on it this way.”

Suddenly, people began shouting and running. Tables were overturned. Jensen glanced at the stage and saw the torturer throwing down his instruments and fleeing through the side curtains. 

Delight twisted Jensen’s right arm up behind his back and marched him rapidly toward the staircase hidden by the stage itself. Jensen smelled the burning ozone that a blaster made when fired and craned desperately around. His curiosity was satisfied when a booming voice issued from the club’s PA system.

“Freeze! This facility is now in the custody and control of the Interplanetary Police and Diplomatic Corps. You will remain where you are. If we have to search for you, your outcome will be much worse than if we receive your cooperation. If you try to run, you will be executed. You are being arrested for violations of the anti-gambling statute, the cruelty to animals statute, and tax avoidance. That’s just a start. The men moving among you in the black uniforms with the rising sun patch are all trained killers and disgusted by what we’ve witnessed here this evening. Don’t try their patience.”

The voice was distorted by the sound system, but it seemed naggingly familiar to Jensen. As Delight dragged him through the door and onto the staircase, his owner clutched Jensen’s bicep so hard he knew he would have finger shaped bruises by tomorrow. If tomorrow came for him. He was sure Delight would not forget Jensen’s disobedience. Delight stopped suddenly when the rapid pounding of heavy footsteps echoed down the stairwell. He spun Jensen around only to find that they were bracketed between two sets of police officers. Jensen squeezed his eyes closed. He just knew Delight would do something to get them both killed. He had said time after time that he would never allow law enforcement to take him alive.

Jensen sagged deliberately hoping Delight would just drop him to the floor. No such luck. 

“Identify yourself.”

Jensen peeked out through his lashes and saw an officer clad head to toe in matte black body armor with a variety of weapons secured down his back and around his waist. There were two more behind him, aiming blasters at Delight and Jensen, steadying their wrists on the leader’s hips. Jensen shut his eyes again. Any minute now and he would be released from this torment. Blasters were relatively painless he had heard. He took a deep breath.

Delight just stared at the police in silence.

“Okay. Are you just frozen with fear or are you really not going to identify yourself? You do know that it will be a matter of minutes to find out who you are. Just tell me.”

Delight sighed. “Captain Delight of the Full Boat.”

“Ah, yes. I have twenty-six, no, wait, thirty-six warrants for your arrest. Please give the slave’s leash to Officer Kemp standing just behind you. Extend your arms in front of you with your wrists crossed.”

Delight instead, kicked the officer in the chest, accomplishing nothing. The men swarmed them from behind and Jensen was lifted gently to one side. Fear pounded through him. The police department did not keep slaves. As far as he knew, Delight was in legal possession of him. That meant that he would go to Delight’s next of kin. He had no idea who that was or where the person might live. If the heir did not want him he would go back on the auction block and start all this again. Jensen felt far older than his twenty-four years. Oh, well. He was bound to eventually find an opportunity to end this himself.

Delight was subdued after the briefest of scuffles and led back down the stairs.


	18. Eighteen

The officer holding him flipped his face shield up.

“What’s your name?”

Jensen swallowed hard. “Jensen, sir.”

“Jensen? Really?”

Jensen could not understand the glee in the officer’s voice.

“Tell the Captain, I’ve got him.”

Jensen struggled with his fear and then blurted out, “excuse me, sir, but who is your Captain?”

“Captain Jared Padalecki,” the officer said with a broad grin.

Jensen’s mouth fell open. He gasped for breath. “He…Jared…he?”

“Has been looking for you all this time, yes.”

A short burst of noise filtered out from the officer’s helmet.

“Yes, sir. I’ll bring him right out.”

Jensen sobbed. This couldn’t be real. He was in some kind of dream or he was dead and in heaven. He had given up on ever seeing Jared again, long ago. Sometimes he would lose himself in a fantasy of being reunited, but that had become so painful he avoided even thinking about his future. His legs folded uselessly beneath him, and the officer grabbed him just in time to keep him from tumbling down the stairs.

“You do want to see him, don’t you?” the young officer said. “Because orders or not, I’m not going to turn you over to someone who will continue to abuse you.”

“Jared would never, never hurt me,” Jensen managed to choke out. “I…it’s been so long. I gave up ever seeing him again.”

The officer relaxed. “So, tears of joy, then?”

Jensen nodded vigorously.

“Can you walk?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hell.” The trooper picked Jensen up bridal style and carried him rapidly down the stairs.

The trooper carried him back into the auditorium where the Butchery had been carried out. Jensen clung to consciousness. Suddenly, strong arms plucked him away from the trooper and cradled him close to a massive chest. Slowly Jensen opened his eyes. Jared. An older, harder Jared, but Jared nonetheless. They stared at each other for a long second and then Jared beamed at Jensen, dimples working overtime.

Jensen raised a hand and cupped Jared’s face. Jared leaned into the touch.

“I had nearly given up hope,” Jared whispered.

Jensen sobbed. “What happened?”

“You mean why didn’t I come for you the next day?”

Jensen nodded and continued to trace the skin on Jared’s face with his fingers.

“Mom stole all my money.”

Jensen’s mouth dropped open. Of all the scenarios he had envisioned, this had not been among them.

“So, that’s why…”

“It took me a while to trace you off-planet. Once I found out, the IPDC was the only way I could keep on searching for you.”

Jensen searched Jared’s eyes and saw nothing but joy and boundless love. Jared then stopped short, and searched in his belt pack. Jensen watched him and then his heart soared when Jared pulled out a worn velvet box. Jared looked around and found a table that was still in one piece and sat Jensen on it. Then Jared went to his knees. 

He opened the box and Jensen saw a black leather collar adorned with sparkling black stones. His throat seized up and he put both hands over his face.

“Maybe I should wait to do this, but I’m too selfish and I’ve waited too long,” Jared began. “But, if you still want me, I’m offering you this claiming collar. We can register the relationship right now, if you want.”

Jensen fought to keep his face from crumpling with limited success and he struggled to get enough breath to answer. He saw Jared’s eyes begin to grow dim with disappointment before he finally blurted out, “Yes, oh, please, yes!”

Jared’s troopers had gathered around them but the two men had been so engrossed in what they were doing that they had failed to notice. Jared jumped when the applause started. Jared looked up and saw affection and approval in all the faces. He smiled, rose to his feet and claimed Jensen officially as his mate. They set up a video connection with the registrar on Nuevo Alaska and two of Jared’s men volunteered to serve as witnesses. Once registered, Jensen could no longer be bought or sold as a slave. 

Jared left the mop-up to his squad and helped Jensen out to his patrol vehicle.

“What now?” Jensen asked.

“You mean right now?”

Jensen grinned. “I was hoping you would feed me and then we could get to know each other all over again. But I mean after that. Long range. What does the spouse of an IPDC officer do? Where will I live?”

Jared nodded. “Well, I am nearing the end of this tour of duty. In fact I only have the six months here before I come up for reenlistment. I wouldn’t be allowed to take you with me on tours; we’d have to pick one of the colonies and you’d be alone for eighteen months before I would rotate back.”

Jensen sighed. “I don’t want to even think about not being with you for eighteen minutes.”

Jared opened the door to his vehicle. “So, that’s why I’m thinking it’s time to quit and go back to school. After all, I only joined the Corps to use their resources to find you.”

Jensen heaved a sigh of relief. “So can I live with you while you serve out your time here?”

“Yes you can. In fact, I’m going to take you to get a few things and then we’re going home.”

“What do you think I should do while you’re in school?”

Jared smiled. “Well I hope you don’t mind, but I asked them to hold your spot in pre-vet at Stanford Auxiliary.”

Jensen’s mouth dropped open yet again. “I want that more than anything!”

“So we will still have the life we planned, it all happened just a little later.”

Jensen fell silent as Jared drove. “You know what I was, while I was with Delight?”

Jared nodded. “Yes. It makes no difference. You’re mine and you always were mine. Nothing you did there was by choice, was it?”

“God, no. I had to be drugged most of the time to even endure it.”

“It makes me sick that you had to go through all this. When we get home, I have enough money and knowledge now to get my money back from my mother.”

“Do we need the money?”

“No. But I will not have her live out her days in happiness after what she did to you.”

Jared came to a stop in a shopping district.

“Jared, maybe she didn’t know what kind of person bought me.”

“Well, that’s part of the problem. Why didn’t she know? Do you think if she knew she would have cared?”

Jensen dropped his head. “Sorry to say, but no, I don’t think she would have cared.”

“So do you object to me recovering what she stole from us?”

“No.” Jensen pulled Jared’s face around gently with his fingertips so he could see Jared’s eyes. “Are you sure it won’t bother you later to ruin your mother’s life?”

“I’ve made my peace with the idea. It’s something I have to do, Jensen. Jeff deserves to lose whatever she gave him, too.”

“Promise me, that if you think this will change you or if you think you will regret this, you will stop.”

" I can promise you that.

"Okay then; let's live our lives."

 

fin


End file.
